


Fevered Memories

by Storyteller_of_the_Forest



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Brodinsons, Family is family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, No Slash, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Suspense, Thor (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Thor (Marvel) is Not Stupid, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-02 08:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 31,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16783519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storyteller_of_the_Forest/pseuds/Storyteller_of_the_Forest
Summary: Being trapped in one's own mind is a terrible fate. When the past and the present start blurring together, how does one tell them apart?With most of the healers out of town, the Odinsons struggle to find an answer to a mysterious illness before it's too late. The answer may lie in the past. However, the destruction of Asgard meant the destruction of most of their remedies. If the illness is from Asgard, the cure may no longer exist.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> Wow, I am genuinely touched by the outpouring of support from readers. I received so many incredibly kind and supportive emails and comments in response to the cyberbully who was hassling me. A very special thank you to Emma_Laurence who reminded me that there's a clause about harassment in the ToS on this site (meaning I can lodge a complaint should the user continue harassing me). Also thank you to petre parkour for filing a harassment complaint. I sincerely apologize that I wasn't able to respond to all your incredibly kind comments. I wanted to take down the chapter soon so as to not clutter the site. Know that I read and appreciated each one. All of you are so incredibly wonderful and amazing people and I so appreciate your kind words and support.
> 
> I really have no words. Just from the bottom of my heart, thank you :)
> 
> This is an idea I have been toying around with for a bit. I wanted to try to write a story with a ticking clock, for lack of a better term. I admit, this isn't my best work. It's really just me having fun with a narrative technique (experimenting with it, if you will). I tried to make it an enjoyable story, though it is rather heart wrenching at times. It plays on a fear I've always had: being unable to trust one's own mind. Apologies for the terrible summary (I'm awful at summaries).
> 
> Now, there may be a few days I miss posting. I'm having a minor procedure next week and I'm not sure how long it will be before I'm able to work on the computer again. This week, I'll post on Thursday and Saturday. After that, the posting schedule will return to normal (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) with the possible break next week. Also, there are two chapters that aren't reading quite the way I want them to. They come later in the fic, so I'll be working on them between then and now. If worse comes to worse, I may have to skip a day or two of posting. I'm afraid I can be a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to writing.
> 
> REGULAR WARNINGS
> 
> Haven't seen Infinity War and am not going to see Infinity War. I don't do romantic ships, especially not between family members. If you're into that kind of thing, go elsewhere please (and don't tag my work with incest ships, please).
> 
> In my mind, after the battle with Thanos, Thor left the Avengers to take care of his people. The original Avengers disbanded and there's a mostly new group of superheroes taking up the mantel. I feel like the original team earned a retirement after defeating Thanos. However, they all still keep in touch and visit each other on occasion.
> 
> I'm still somewhat new to writing fics. So I apologize for any mistakes, mis-characterizations, formatting errors, or just any glaring errors. Please be gentle.
> 
> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated (except for Hekka, who has been asked multiple times to not interact with anything I write). I don't own anything, obviously all characters and recognizable aspects belong to Marvel.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story and thank you for reading :)

**_Day Zero_ **

Autumn had arrived in New Asgard. The streets were filled with happy citizens, many of whom were preparing for the annual autumn festivals. The extravagant festivals and celebrations attracted a large number of tourists, which brought revenue to the thriving town.

Loki was in the town hall going over some reports related to New Asgard, mostly about some visiting healers who had just arrived. Most of the healers from Asgard had gone to a conference to learn more about Midgardian medicine and medical technology. In their absence, some medical professionals had been temporarily hired to oversee things in the hospital. It was a fairly easy job, since most Aesir didn’t really get seriously ill and injuries were rare.

The windows were open, allowing in the fresh cool breeze. Sitting back in his seat, Loki closed his eyes and lifted his face up to the ceiling, putting his feet up on the desk. A small smirk played across his lips. He considered ditching his work and just wandering about the town as he sometimes did.

A chirping from his computer drew his attention back to his desk. The trickster was receiving a video call, according to one of the apps on the screen. Reaching forward, Loki tapped the button to answer the call.

“What is it, Thor?” he asked without glancing at the screen, closing his eyes as he resumed his relaxed posture. He could hear his brother’s soft laugh.

“How did you know it was me calling?” Thor asked and Loki raised an eyebrow without opening his eyes.

“Who else is going to call me in this way? Ayo?”

Thor snickered again. “Fair enough. How are things at home?”

Loki shrugged, opening his eyes as he looked to the screen. “Boring, dull. How are things in New York?”

Thor smiled a little sadly. “I attended the service for Agent Spencer. I did not know her well, unfortunately, but she was greatly respected in the organization. It was a very nice service, many SHIELD personnel and Avengers were in attendance. Since then, it has been rather busy. Did you receive the documents and treaties I sent?”

“I did,” Loki replied. “It looks in order. There are a few things I have concerns about, which I am in the process of putting into a report. I will send it along later tonight, as well as my suggestions about how such concerns might be addressed and remedied, if possible.”

“Excellent. I look forward to reading it,” Thor said, sipping from the tall cup he held. Loki made a face of disgust when he saw the green and white logo.

“How you’re able to drink that swill, I shall never understand,” Loki commented, shuddering dramatically. Thor laughed heartily.

“It’s good, brother. Besides, this was brought to the meeting I just came from,” Thor mentioned. “They always serve coffee during such meetings.”

Loki made a noise of disgust. “They could at least give you decent coffee. You are the leader of an important country.”

“Loki, honestly, what is it with you and chain stores?” Thor asked, amusement twinkling in his eyes.

“Other than the cheapness and the lack of quality? The overall faux geniality and attitude,” Loki replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Nobody is _that_ happy about substandard overly sweetened drinks. I do not like the exaggerated pleasantry. Normally when people act that friendly, they’re hiding something or plotting. If I’m not involved, it makes me rather uncomfortable.”

“Norns, brother. You are one of a kind,” Thor laughed, taking a long sip of his coffee and over acting his enjoyment of it, making Loki chuckle. The god of thunder was amusing at times.

“Are you still planning on returning tomorrow?” Loki asked. Thor nodded and placed the coffee cup off to the side.

“Yes, my last meeting is tomorrow morning and then I’ll be returning home in the evening, perhaps a little earlier,” Thor replied, grinning. “Miss me already, brother?”

Loki scoffed. “Hardly. I’m merely wondering how much longer I’ll have peace and quiet. Brunnhilde is more than one who misses you. You know how sentimental she is.”

“Oh, piss off, Lackey.”

Loki startled and glanced over to the opened window. Brunnhilde was leaning her arms on it and smiled sarcastically at him, waving her fingers.

“Hey, big guy,” Brunnhilde said to Thor, her grin becoming more genuine.

“Hello, Brunnhilde,” Thor greeted warmly. “I trust my brother isn’t too much of a handful.”

“Nah,” she replied. “Nothing’s on fire and he hasn’t raised an army or brought about a second Ragnarok.”

Loki smiled sarcastically at the two of them. He would have to contact Darcy about writing that play about the war of the Gauntlet, and how he’d single-handedly saved the day. Looking back to the screen, Loki’s smile became subtler and a little more genuine. He did hate when Thor had to go on diplomatic excursions. Things often got lonely when his brother wasn’t around.

“See you when you get back, big guy,” Brunnhilde said with a wave as she went on her way. Loki glanced at the window before looking back to the computer screen. Thor smiled and sipped his coffee again.

“I went over some figures on economic growth earlier this morning,” Loki mentioned. “Things are fairly steady. Your idea about how to improve importing and exporting has worked well. There have been fewer delays on importing goods and fewer disagreements over exports.”

“That’s good to hear. I know we both had concerns about implementing those new practices,” Thor said, clearing his throat. He reached for some papers, flipping through them.

“Are you all right, Thor?” Loki asked, studying his brother’s weaker arm. He’d had to sneak the muscle relaxants into Thor’s bag before the god of thunder took off. His brother was impossibly stubborn at times.

“Yes, I have not experienced any nightmares or panic episodes,” Thor told him with a small affectionate grin. “And my arm has not bothered me in the time I’ve been here.”

“That’s good to hear. You tend to get rather short-tempered when you’re in pain,” Loki jested with a cunning smirk. Thor gave him an unamused look. There was a sound somewhere past the laptop, a door opening, and Thor looked up. He grinned and nodded his head in greeting to whoever had entered the room.

“I’m afraid I must be off, brother. The next meeting shall be starting shortly,” Thor said as he looked back to the screen. Loki grinned and dipped his chin to his chest.

“I shall leave you to it then.”

“I will see you tomorrow,” Thor promised. They said a few final parting words and then Thor disconnected the call. Loki switched off the computer screen and dropped his feet back to the ground. He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes drifting back to the papers in front of him. Gods, being a leader was so unbelievably dull at times.

“I have to admit, it’s downright bizarre to see you even acting somewhat responsible.”

Loki spun his chair to the open door of his office. The Valkyrie was resting her wrist against the doorframe, grinning at him in a teasing way.

“Don’t you have duties to attend to?” Loki asked.

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?” Brunnhilde pointed out. “I’m doing a stellar job. More than stellar, I’m achieving the impossible. You should give me a raise.”

“I’ll make a note of it,” Loki replied dryly.

“You do that,” Brunnhilde said as she moved over to his desk. Loki studied her for a moment, grabbing a pen from his desk and twirling it around his fingers.

“They’ve finally closed the case on ambassador Love,” he mentioned. “Thor texted me the day after he arrived. Strange, how I was never even a suspect.”

Brunnhilde shrugged. “Meh, you’re old news. There are newer and more exciting villains roaming about, causing death and destruction.”

Loki made a noncommittal sound, though his expression was skeptical. Brunnhilde held his gaze, unbothered. The trickster sighed and turned back to the papers, shuffling a few. He knew the Valkyrie had something to do with the ambassador’s mysterious demise, regardless of what the multiple reports said. Loki was sure Brunnhilde knew of his suspicions and he believed Thor also suspected something, though the god of thunder never said anything.

Brunnhilde moved into the office, dropping down into Thor’s seat and putting her feet up on the desk. She grinned as she watched Loki study the paperwork in front of him. Things had been easy in New Asgard. Life was back to normal and the Odinsons hadn’t found any new trouble or danger. Brunnhilde was cautiously optimistic that it would be an easy autumn.

As Loki continued reviewing figures, Brunnhilde dropped her head back and closed her eyes. She grinned when she heard the songs of birds outside.

_*_

_He was in a long hazy hallway that stretched as far as the eye could see. The trickster frowned as he looked to the shadows behind him. It was too dark to see anything. The darkness was so thick that it almost looked like a solid mass. Swallowing, Loki turned his eyes to in front of him, where there was an impossibly bright light. Mist was pouring out from the light, drifting down and gathering about the ground._

_Striding forward, Loki turned his head sharply when he heard a whimper. There was nothing to the side, just a strange marble statue, some abstract form. Loki turned his attention forward again and continued on his way, wishing he had his daggers. He couldn’t feel his seidr or any other form of his magic. Yet he still felt strong. It was…peculiar._

_He soon came upon a small alcove where a form was huddled. Loki tilted his head, nervousness coiling in his stomach. He approached the shivering form, which whimpered again. Carefully getting to his knees, Loki reached out and pulled back the hood covering the form’s head._

_“Thor?” Loki breathed as he reached out to his shaking brother. He pulled back when he realized his skin was blue, frigid, Jotun. Loki shook his hand until it was pale again, but when he reached for his brother, his skin went back to frigid Jotun flesh. Loki tried with his other hand and had the same problem._

_“Thor, what’s the matter? Talk to me, brother. Tell me what’s wrong,” Loki said, his blue hands hovering uselessly over his shaking brother. He could see streaks of blood trailing from Thor’s nose, ears, and eye. The god of thunder was grasping at his temples and his eye was clenched shut. Loki heard a scratching noise somewhere overhead and looked up._

_On one of the towering wooden walls, words were being carved into the surface._

_“Trapped in his memories.”_

_“What do you mean? Who are you?” Loki asked the formless writer._

_“Can’t escape, he will drift further and further away.”_

_Loki let out a growl of frustration and turned his attention back to his cowering brother. Thor was shaking more violently, his jerky movements more unnatural._

_“Don’t forget the old ways. Sometimes the solution is right in front of your nose or locked in your memories.” The words appeared on the wall across from Loki. The trickster frowned and opened his mouth. Before he had a chance to ask anything, the light became impossibly bright and Loki could no longer see anything._

Loki’s eyes snapped open and he gasped as he sat up in bed, looking around the dark room. He shivered a little and ran a hand over his face. It wasn’t often he dreamt. In fact, the trickster couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a dream or nightmare. At least, not any that he remembered. An uneasy feeling settled deep in his gut. Loki glanced up to the window near the head of his bed. The sky was graying, indicating it would be dawn soon. Thor would be returning home that evening. _Living on Midgard has made me sentimental. Spectacular,_ the trickster thought with no small amount of irritation.

The trickster swallowed and sank down onto his side again, tugging the blankets tighter around him. He let out a steadying breath and closed his eyes, falling back into an uneasy sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Day One_ **

Brunnhilde looked over at Loki, who was much antsier than he’d been in quite some time. They were standing at the edge of the field, awaiting Thor. Heimdall, Sif, Wanda, Korg, and Miek were standing nearby. Loki was the only one who seemed unable to remain still, which was odd for him. While the trickster was often moving his hands in some way, he could usually stand still. Since picking him up earlier, Loki hadn’t been able to stop fidgeting. He had bounced his knee for the entire ride to the field. When they reached the landing site, Loki paced around a bit, his eyes never moving from the vibrantly colored sky. Now he stood in line with the rest of them, bouncing on his heels.

“Is something the matter, Loki?” Heimdall’s smooth baritone drew both the Valkyrie’s and the trickster’s attention.

“No,” Loki replied, sounding slightly defensive. He stopped bouncing and started wringing his hands, his eyes drifting back to the sky.

“Chill out, Lackey. Your brother will be here any minute.”

Loki made a skeptical noise as he continued watching the sky. He slid his hands into his pockets, his lips thinning in a straight line. Brunnhilde pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping Thor hadn’t encountered any trouble. _Thank the gods,_ she thought when she heard a familiar roar. An impossibly bright light slammed into the ground. The people standing in the field shielded their eyes until the light dimmed down. It soon vanished, leaving a smiling god of thunder in the center of a scorched ground. Thor adjusted the strap over his shoulder and quickly moved over to the group that was waiting for him.

He greeted and exchanged pleasantries with Heimdall and Sif first. Then he moved to Wanda, exchanging pleasant words and a laugh with her. Then he moved to Korg and Miek. He reached Brunnhilde and greeted her, laughing as she teased him lightly. Thor finally reached Loki, who was smirking at him. Loki opened his mouth to taunt his brother, but didn’t get a chance when Thor’s arms wrapped around him. For a moment, Loki stood stiffly. Eventually, he sighed in resignation and wrapped his arms around Thor.

“I missed you, brother,” Thor whispered.

“Eh, wait a few days,” Loki teased and smiled when Thor laughed. He briefly buried his nose in Thor’s broad shoulder, breathing in his brother’s scent. Almost unconsciously, the trickster lifted one hand, checking to make sure he was still wearing his Aesir appearance. Loki let out a breath of relief when he saw his pale hand.

“Are you all right, Loki?” Thor asked, concern clear in his soft voice. Loki nodded and grinned.

“Yes, brother, I’m fine. I’m better now that you’re home and can once again handle all the boring pointless nonsense,” Loki replied, frowning. “Are you well, Thor? You feel a little warm.”

Thor pulled out of the hug and affectionately squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “I am. I’m a little tired, but that shall pass.”

Loki dipped his chin to his chest and followed Thor as the group slowly dissipated. The Odinsons followed Brunnhilde to her car. Thor and the Valkyrie chatted amicably. Loki walked alongside Thor. Brunnhilde was telling Thor about all that had happened in the week he had been away at the UN. Thor grinned and nodded, listening closely to the Valkyrie.

The sense of unease was continuing to shadow Loki and he held his hands behind him, trying to ignore the feeling. He always felt a little nervous when his brother had to leave town. Loki didn’t like being separated from Thor, didn’t like not being able to watch his brother’s back. It was also rather boring when Thor wasn’t around to annoy.

“I’m going to drop both of you off at the grocery store. Your brother is abysmal at keeping a well-stocked fridge,” Brunnhilde mentioned, drawing Loki’s attention. He waved her off.

“I am aware,” Thor chuckled, which turned into a light cough. Loki looked over at him, his brows knitting together. Thor had his fist over his mouth and dropped it once the short fit had passed.

“Thor?”

“Yes, Loki?” Thor smiled as he looked over at his brother.

“You’re certain you’re feeling all right?”

“Yes, brother,” Thor replied, grinning.

The Valkyrie scoffed. “The way the two of you hover over each other is both amusing and irritating.”

The Odinsons and Brunnhilde shared a chuckle as they continued on their way to her car. Loki instantly stood in front of the passenger’s side door, grinning when Thor rolled his eye and resigned himself to sitting in the back seat. The trickster had a self-satisfied smirk on his face as he dipped into the front seat.

_*_

Loki nodded to the shopkeepers as he and his brother entered the store. It was mostly empty due to it being a weekday night. Thor blinked a couple times in the unnaturally bright lights. The trickster moved over to a neat stack of baskets, removing one and starting down the aisles. He glanced to the side when Thor wandered off, rolling his eyes when he thought about what the god of thunder might return with. Loki moved over to where the fresh produce was, his eyes roaming over the brightly colored fruits and vegetables. He grabbed a bag of carrots and dropped it into the basket, looking over at the peppers next.

Loki had just moved over to the boxes of large red apples when his brother reappeared with an armful of absurdly colorful boxes.

“No,” Loki said instantly.

“What? We rarely get Pop-Tarts in this country and they’re delicious,” Thor insisted, placing a box of the disgustingly processed food into the basket. Loki didn’t bother concealing his disgust. Just the sight of those revolting brightly colored pastries made his stomach flip.

“You’re the only one thinks so,” Loki replied. “You can have two, Thor. No more. We’re here for real food, not processed nightmare chemicals masquerading as food.”

Thor rolled his eye and put another box in the basket. He started to walk past Loki, much to the trickster’s bewilderment. Loki twisted to look at him, his brow furrowing.

“Thor?”

The god of thunder turned back to him, raising his eyebrows questioningly. The trickster nodded in the direction Thor had come from.

“The shelves where those are kept are that way, brother.”

Thor frowned, looking at Loki skeptically. “Are you certain?”

Loki studied his brother, trying to figure out if Thor was attempting to play a joke of some kind on him. The god thunder’s earnest expression was genuine, as always. Loki nodded slowly, feeling a little uneasy.

“Yes, it has always been over there. You just came from that direction.”

Thor shrugged. “I must still be jetlagged. My apologies, brother.”

Loki watched as Thor walked off in the correct direction to replace the boxes on the shelves. That had been very peculiar. Looking back to the produce, Loki swiftly picked out whatever they needed. He wanted to return to his brother as soon as possible.

_*_

It was later in the evening when they finally returned home. Thor swiftly put the groceries on the table so he could greet the two cats. Loki glanced over at him as the god of thunder lifted up the small black cat, allowing her to climb onto his broad shoulders. He turned his attention to helping Loki sort out the groceries, which the trickster was already starting to put away.

Loki glanced over his shoulder when Thor paused, noticing the god of thunder was looking at a box of tea and then at the kitchen.

“That goes in the topmost cabinet,” Loki mentioned, nodding over at it. “To your right.”

Thor shook his head as if shaking himself from a daze. “Of course. I’m sorry, Loki. It has been a very long week.”

He coughed again, putting his fist in front of his mouth as he waited for the fit to pass. Loki finished putting away the refrigerated goods and then turned his attention back to his brother, watching as Thor put the cat on the ground.

“Thor, are you certain you’re all right? You’re even more forgetful than usual. Perhaps you should make an appointment with the healers.”

Thor waved him off. “Stop hovering, Loki. I just need a full night’s rest and I’ll be good as new.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at his brother, trying to tamp down his frustration. “Very well. You should at least try to eat something for dinner. There are some leftovers in the fridge.”

Thor grinned at the mention of food and moved over to the fridge, opening the door and peering inside. The trickster moved over to the table and pulled out his phone, turning his attention to the screen as he looked for something moderately interesting to read about. Knowing his brother, Thor would just make dinner for both of them.

Loki glanced up when he heard the tap turn on, noticing Thor was scrubbing potatoes. Shaking his head with a smirk, the trickster looked back to his phone, patiently waiting as his brother prepared their meal.

_*_

It was the middle of the night when Loki woke up to a strange noise. Frowning, the trickster glanced over his shoulder, assuming his brother must be having a nightmare. He was surprised to see Thor’s bed was empty. Fear briefly swept through him as he looked around the room. Then he heard the sound again. Retching, it was definitely the sound of someone retching. That was odd. Thor was never sick.

Loki rolled onto his side, looking over his shoulder to where the room door was opened. After a moment, there was the sound of the toilet flushing followed by the sink turning on. The trickster waited patiently. Soon enough, the large shadowy form of his brother stepped back inside the room, silently shutting the door behind him.

“You’re sick, Thor.”

“Seven hells!” Thor jumped about a foot in the air. “Dammit, Loki! You scared the Hel out of me!”

“Either you make an appointment with the healers or I will,” Loki stated firmly.

“It’s nothing, Loki. Something didn’t agree with my stomach. I’m fine,” Thor said as he made his way back over to his bed. “If it gets worse I promise I will go to the healers.”

Loki rolled his eyes and flopped back down, too tired to put any sort of effort into an argument. If Thor insisted on being a bullheaded fool, Loki would simply use a sleeping spell and drag him to the hospital. Hearing coughing from across the room, the trickster ran a hand over his face. Perhaps he was overreacting. There were some illnesses they were susceptible to and the symptoms usually only lasted a few days. It was unpleasant, but nothing to get worked up about.

“Good night, Loki,” Thor said from across the room.

“Good night, Thor,” Loki replied, pulling the blankets up a little more. He closed his eyes and fell into an uneasy sleep, listening to his brother coughing quietly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting a wee bit early. I just received the most phenomenal news! I managed to get a second job, which is seriously going to help my family and I (my sister requires a very expensive medication for her chronic illness that is sometimes hard to afford). I am ecstatic at the moment :)
> 
> I wanted to share my happiness with all you lovely readers. I have been so stressed lately due in part to this. Your always thoughtful comments are always a bright spot, even when I'm having a rough day. A very special thank you to reader Claire, who drew the most gorgeous art of a scene from "Cursed" (I received it after a particularly rough day and it really just made all the difference).
> 
> Some of you have sent emails saying how my writing helps you through rough patches or hard days. I just want you to know that my inbox is always open. If you ever need someone to talk to (or to just listen), please don't hesitate to reach out. It may take a couple days for me to respond, but I respond to every email I receive. You're important and wonderful <3
> 
> I will still post a chapter tomorrow, probably in the afternoon.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are welcomed and appreciated. I absolutely love chatting with you lot :-D
> 
> Next chapter goes up tomorrow.
> 
> See all of you then!


	3. Chapter 3

**_Day Two_ **

Loki groaned when he heard the morning alarm go off. He grabbed a pillow and put it over his head, hating the damn sun for having the audacity to rise so early. Across the room, he heard Thor coughing and then pushing the blankets back. He heard his brother’s heavy steps cross the room to the trickster’s bed. Loki pretended to still be asleep.

“Come on, brother. It’s time to start the day,” Thor’s oddly raspy voice came from the foot of his bed and he patted his brother’s foot. Loki frowned and removed the pillow from his head, squinting at the god of thunder. Thor looked fine in the daylight, but he sounded awful.

“You sound terrible,” Loki stated.

“My throat is a little sore,” Thor admitted, clearing his throat and wincing. The trickster sighed and threw back the covers, reluctantly getting out of bed. He ran a hand through his long black hair and glanced at Thor.

“I’ll make some tea,” he offered and Thor grinned appreciatively.

“If you don’t mind, I think I shall shower while waiting for the kettle.”

Loki nodded and watched as his brother moved out of the room, heading for the small bathroom. The trickster made his way to the kitchen and went about preparing the tea kettle. Glancing over his shoulder when he heard the shower running, Loki thought about what tasks awaited them that day. It was going to be relatively quiet, as things tended to be. There was really only one major meeting that was scheduled for tomorrow.

The kettle started whistling and the shower turned off. Loki removed it from the burner and retrieved two mugs. He was fixing the tea when Thor wandered into the kitchen, staring for a moment. The trickster looked at him, furrowing his brow.

“Is something wrong, brother?”

Thor started as if he’d forgotten he wasn’t alone. He looked over at Loki and shook his head, though his expression was troubled.

“Aren’t…do we normally eat meals alone?” he asked, confusion clear in his tone.

“No, normally Brunnhilde and Bruce join us, as well as Wanda,” Loki replied. “But you just returned from traveling. They don’t come the day after you’ve returned home from traveling due to how worn out you sometimes feel.”

“Oh.”

“Thor, you’re really starting to worry me,” Loki confessed as he brought the tea over to the table. He approached his brother and laid a hand on his brow. The trickster could feel warmth under his palm. His brother’s temperature was slightly elevated, but it wasn’t dangerously high.

“I’m fine, Loki. I just need to get back into my usual routine,” Thor insisted, gently pushing his brother’s hand away. Loki gave him a skeptical look.

“What do we have scheduled today?” Thor asked. Loki nodded to the table, watching as his brother went and sat down obediently. Moving back into the kitchen, Loki retrieved a jar of honey and a large spoon, placing them in front of the god of thunder. Thor smiled appreciatively and started spooning the thick amber substance into his tea.

“We have a couple sessions with advisors, mostly to go over facts and figures related to some new tariffs and a couple matters related to security, but that shouldn’t take overly long,” Loki replied as he set about fixing his own tea. “Tomorrow we have a meeting with the treasury.”

Thor grimaced and Loki hid his smirk behind his mug. Meetings with the treasury were often the shortest but also the dullest. Thor didn’t particularly enjoy them, but at least he never nodded off during those meetings. Unlike Loki, who had no problem showing how bored he was with the proceedings. The treasurers disliked the trickster immensely and Thor often got an earful about how utterly irresponsible and rude Loki was.

The trickster glanced over at his brother when Thor experienced another coughing fit. Loki frowned as he stirred his tea. Thor rose from his seat and made his way to the appliances, opening the fridge and retrieving some ingredients to make breakfast. The god of thunder placed them on the counter and paused for a moment. Sipping his tea, the trickster watched as Thor started going about making their morning meal.

As usual, the god of thunder seemed in his element in the kitchen. There was soon a plate of warm delicious food in front of Loki. The god of thunder retrieved the salt and pepper shakers, putting them on the table. He sat down at his usual spot and used his fork to push around the food on his plate.

“Was there no paper today?” Loki asked teasingly, but Thor looked at him, puzzled.

“Paper?”

The trickster rose from his seat, moving down the front hall to their door. He unlocked it and opened it, reaching to the paper on the front step. Closing the door again, Loki moved back to the kitchen and placed it in front of Thor. The god of thunder stared at the newspaper, still moving the food around on his plate.

“Huh, I completely forgot,” Thor said as he pulled the paper a little closer to him. Loki sat back down and glanced to the window, watching the birds. He looked back to his brother when Thor started picking at his breakfast while reading the paper. Loki looked back to his own plate, focusing on his meal.

_*_

After breakfast, the Odinsons made their way to the town hall. Thor immediately dropped into his seat when they reached their office. There was a stack of papers waiting for him on his desk, which made him side-eye Loki. The trickster grinned and held out his hands, shrugging. Thor chuckled and turned his attention to the papers.

The brothers fell into their normal routine: Thor focused on working and Loki occasionally did something other than gazing out the window. He smirked as he looked to the god of thunder, pleased that Thor was home again. It meant he had much less to do. Opening one of the drawers in his desk, Loki removed a ball and started tossing it up and catching it. Thor glanced over at him, and then shook his head as he looked back to the papers.

The hours passed slowly and it was soon time for the meeting with the council. Loki stood from his chair, placing his ball on the desktop. Thor frowned as he looked up at his brother, who was straightening his already immaculate suit.

“Brother, it is barely the afternoon. You can’t just call it a day whenever the mood strikes you,” Thor chastised. Loki stared at him, blinking.

“We have a meeting scheduled with the council. I mentioned it today at breakfast and then again on the way over here,” the trickster reminded him. Thor frowned and sat back.

“Did you?”

“Yes.”

Thor rubbed his eye and shook his head. “I’m afraid I’m still feeling a little tired after my trip abroad. I apologize, brother.”

The god of thunder grabbed a legal pad and Loki handed him a file of issues that were going to be discussed in the meeting. Thor coughed a little as he moved out of the office, followed closely by his brother. Unease was starting to creep back into Loki’s mind. He made a mental note to make an appointment with the healers for Thor. Better safe than sorry.

_*_

Thor made it through the meeting fine. He was awake and alert throughout the proceedings, which lessened Loki’s concern. His brother was acting just like the competent and effective leader he was. He listened intently to the advisors, taking notes on what they spoke of and offered suggestions about the issues that were raised.

It was only when the advisors left that Thor slumped down in his seat and massaged his temples. Loki studied him for a moment, leaning back against the desk. His brother rarely allowed himself to show any sort of weakness in front of others, including Loki. If he was unable to conceal his discomfort, it was a sign that something was very wrong.

“Thor? What’s the matter?”

Thor coughed a little and sat back. “I’m afraid I’ve developed a minor headache. It’s been steadily building since this morning. I’ll take something when we get back to the office.”

Loki furrowed his brow as Thor rose and stepped past him, heading back for their office.

By the time the sun was setting, Thor was having regular coughing fits and was starting to look flushed. He still brushed off Loki when the trickster suggested he see a doctor. Loki’s concern was soon overshadowed by his frustration. He kept a close eye on his brother for the remainder of the day. While the Aesir weren’t as susceptible to Midgardian illnesses, they still sometimes came down with something.

The two brothers walked home in silence, the quiet only broken by Thor’s occasional coughing.

The god of thunder looked over at his brother when Loki pulled out his phone. “Who are you calling?”

“I’m ordering soup from the local shop,” Loki muttered. “Whether or not you’re willing to admit it, you’re obviously ill, Thor. You’re in no shape to make dinner. If you won’t see a healer, you’re at least going to rest.”

To Loki’s surprise, Thor just nodded. After placing the order, the trickster tucked his phone back into his jacket pocket and they continued down the quiet road to their house. It was dark by the time they reached their front door. Loki pulled out his key and unlocked it, pushing it open to allow them entrance into their cozy home.

Thor immediately stumbled over to the couch, flopping down on it. The god of thunder pulled down the blanket they kept draped over the back of the couch, wrapping it around him. The trickster moved into the kitchen, setting the table for dinner. As he was retrieving the salt and pepper shakers, Loki heard a knock on their front door. Looking to where Thor was on the couch, the trickster noticed his brother was fast asleep.

Walking down the short front hall, Loki answered the front door, staring in surprise at who stood there.

“Korg?”

“Hey man, I got your order here,” the friendly Kronan said in his usual chipper tone. He held up a plastic container.

“I didn’t realize you were the delivery person for the soup shop,” Loki said as he took the container.

“Yeah man. Astrid is a very nice lady and she needed some extra hands,” Korg explained. “My evenings are always pretty open. I had nothing else to do and the pay is decent, so I figured I might as well.”

Loki grinned. “You do enjoy working, don’t you?”

“Sitting around idly, it gets pretty dull. A mind is a terrible thing to let go to waste,” Korg replied with a brilliant grin. “Have a good night, man.”

“You as well, Korg,” Loki said, watching as the Kronan went on his way. The trickster closed the door and twisted the lock. He made his way to the kitchen and placed the soup container on the counter. Grabbing a medium-sized pot, Loki placed it on the burners. He retrieved the soup and poured it into the pot, setting the burner to simmer. He patiently waited for the vegetable soup to warm up before turning off the burners.

Moving back into the main area of the house, he approached the couch where Thor was still sleeping. Loki smiled slightly at the sight of his brother sleeping so peacefully. He almost hated waking the god of thunder, but his brother needed to eat something. The trickster approached him and reached out, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Thor?” he called softly, gently shaking his brother. Thor groaned, stubbornly pulling the blanket tighter around him. Loki shook him a bit more insistently and Thor’s eye finally fluttered open. He looked at Loki, blinking a few times.

“Brother?”

“Dinner is ready,” Loki told him. Thor frowned, looking slightly confused, but he pushed back the blanket and pushed himself into a sitting position. He rose to his feet and followed Loki into the kitchen. The trickster made a note of how his brother’s countenance was slightly paler than was normal.

After eating a little, Thor pushed the bowl away from him. “I’m very tired, Loki. I think I shall go to bed.”

Loki frowned as he glanced to the barely touched soup. “All right, Thor.”

He watched as his brother left the kitchen and wandered out into the main area of the house again. Loki rubbed his palms together. Something was wrong.

_*_

In the middle of the night, Loki was woken by his brother violently shaking him and calling his name angrily. The trickster groggily opened his eyes, frowning as he looked over his shoulder at the god of thunder, who looked irate.

“Loki, is this your doing!?” Thor demanded.

“What? Is what my doing?” Loki asked, bewildered. Thor’s head jerked up and he looked around.

“We’re on Midgard. Why would you bring us to Midgard? Brother, I’m in no mood for your games,” Thor warned sharply. Loki rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed, still half-asleep.

“Thor, what are you talking about? We’ve lived on Midgard for—”

“Loki, you bring us back to Asgard right now! Mother must be worried sick!”

The odd statement cleared Loki’s mind and he reached over to the small table near his bed, switching on the lamp. Looking back to his brother, Loki noticed Thor’s cheeks were flushed and his eye was glassy. Reaching forward, he laid the back of his hand on Thor’s brow.

“Norns, you’re burning up,” Loki groaned, throwing back the blankets. Leave it to his brother to get ill in the middle of the damn night. “I’m going to call Brunnhilde. We’re going to the hospital right now.”

“Loki—”

“Just wait there, Thor,” Loki told him, holding up a hand. He grabbed his cell phone from the table and scrolled through his contacts, pressing on Brunnhilde’s number. He knew the Valkyrie would be furious to be called so late at night, but they needed to bring Thor to the hospital. And if Loki had to be awake, he was going to make damn sure someone else didn’t get to sleep either.

Putting the phone to his ear, Loki guided his brother to sit on the bed. Thor still looked confused and not entirely awake.

“Where’s Mjolnir? And why is my vision different?”

Loki rolled his eyes as he waited for the Valkyrie to pick up her phone. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he should have insisted on bringing Thor to the hospital sooner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have always been fascinated with memory and how it plays into who a person is. But I've also found memory to be a frightening topic: the idea that one can somehow be unable to differentiate the past from the present is something I find so disturbing. What if you suddenly were back in your worst memory and couldn't escape?
> 
> The mind is a fascinating and frightening thing to think about.
> 
> Anyhow, I'm running a bit behind today. Rest assured, I'll still reply to the comments from the previous chapters (probably tonight and tomorrow).
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcomed and appreciated. I do love chatting with you lot :) <3
> 
> Next chapter goes up on Monday.
> 
> See everyone then!


	4. Chapter 4

**_Day Three_ **

_Frigga had taught him magic and how to physically fight. She had been a renowned healer, but few remembered that the beloved queen of Asgard had also been an accomplished swordswoman her entire life. Frigga was adept in archery as well. She had been one of the youngest women to not only compete in, but also to win a universal tournament._

_They used to train every day and she had him fight in a variety of styles of clothing, including skirts. As he grew into a young man, few dared to challenge the trickster to a fight. His mind was sharp and he could cut a person to ribbons with just his words, but Loki was also the most agile fighter Asgard had ever seen. He never competed in tournaments, which he found to be silly and pointless, but he never stopped practicing and became an accomplished warrior in his own right._

_“Why do you insist on training me?” Loki asked her as they practiced sparring. “Surely Thor is the one who shall be the great warrior.”_

_Frigga grinned. “Because I cannot bear the thought of harm coming to you, my darling. I cannot bear the thought of harm befalling either of my sons.”_

_Loki raised an eyebrow. “I’m quite certain no one can possibly harm Thor. And I’m fairly certain my fool of a brother would never let harm befall me. Norns, he nearly started an intergalactic incident just last week when a diplomat suggested we were half-brothers.”_

_Frigga’s smile dropped a little. “Your brother is strong, but he is not invincible. Neither are you, no matter what you think. I wish for you both to be able to defend yourselves and each other.”_

_Loki scoffed and looked down at the blade he held. “All right, Mother. I promise to try not stabbing Thor anymore. I know how much that upsets you.”_

_Loki jolted when Frigga tightly grasped his arm. He didn’t remember this happening. Looking to her bright blue eyes, Loki frowned. This wasn’t right. He was dreaming…no, this was a memory. But they had just continued speaking amicably and practicing sword fighting until the sun set. Frigga hadn’t grabbed his arm, hadn’t looked at him with such worry._

_“You must remember your lessons, Loki,” she told him, reaching up and running her fingers through his hair. “I love you, my son.”_

_*_

Loki jerked awake, grimacing at the ache in his back and neck. The chairs in the hospital were so bloody uncomfortable. When Thor was well, they would have to speak about finding the funds to update the furniture in this place.

“You good, Lackey?” Brunnhilde asked flatly, not looking up from the outdated nature magazine she was paging through. Loki cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. He looked around at the empty waiting room. The hospital was quieter than it normally was, due to the absence of the healers and it being very late at night. It was rather eerie.

“I’m fine,” Loki muttered, glancing up when Banner approached with Thor following behind him. The god of thunder looked much more aware than he had been at the house and on the ride to the hospital, but he still looked unsteady.

“Well, he’s running a fever,” Banner confirmed. “It’s high, but not dangerously so. I felt a slight swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, but the throat swab came back negative for strep. For the time being, I’m suggesting you monitor his condition. If the fever gets higher or doesn’t break in the next couple days, bring him back in. Right now, I’m prescribing bedrest and plenty of fluids.”

“Brother, do you know where we are?” Loki asked, holding out a hand when Thor swayed a little. The god of thunder glanced at him, furrowing his brow.

“Yes, we’re in the hospital, in New Asgard,” Thor replied. “Why do you ask?”

“You woke me up and asked why were on Midgard,” Loki explained.

“Did I? I don’t remember,” Thor said, scratching the back of his head. Loki glanced over at Banner, who looked slightly concerned.

“He might not have been entirely awake. I’ve found that happens sometimes with Asgardians if your fever is high,” Banner said. “Like I said, for now get plenty of sleep and drink lots of fluids.”

Brunnhilde yawned as she got to her feet. “All right, boys. Let’s go home and try to get whatever little sleep we can.”

_*_

The sun was rising when Brunnhilde pulled up to the Odinsons’ home. Thor was already curled up in the backseat, asleep. The Valkyrie looked over at the trickster, who was staring straight ahead outside. He was rubbing his palms together and his gaze was distant.

“Hey, Lackey,” Brunnhilde said, drawing the trickster’s attention. “We’re here.”

Loki opened the door on his side and got out of the car. He rapped on the back window and Thor jolted awake, sniffling. Glancing over to the window, the god of thunder noticed they were home. He offered Brunnhilde a friendly smile, thanked her, and opened the door.

The trickster thanked the Valkyrie and they exchanged words of parting before Brunnhilde drove away. Loki watched her go as he started toward the house, fishing his keys out of his pocket. Thor was waiting for him at the front door, leaning against the wall.

“I suppose I shall have to sit in on the treasury meeting by myself. Typical,” Loki grumbled, good-naturedly. Thor grinned and chuckled, but it turned into a coughing fit.

“I could video call in,” Thor offered but Loki shook his head.

“No, you will remain in bed and rest, like the doctor recommended,” Loki stated, opening the door. Thor patted his shoulder and entered the house. The trickster stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him. He looked to the side as Thor made his way to the bedroom. The god of thunder glanced over his shoulder, his brows knitting together.

“Are you not going to sleep, brother?” he asked.

Loki shook his head. “No, I want to review some things for the meetings today. I shall be in the study, should you have need of me.”

Thor nodded and continued into the bedroom. Loki waited for a moment, staring at the space where his brother had been. Then he made his way to the short hallway that led to the small space they had made into a combination office and library. Loki stepped inside and went to the desk, which Thor often sat behind when he had to review various documents. Grabbing the laptop off the desktop, he made his way to the large comfortable chair, where he normally lounged about while Thor read over tedious things.

Sitting in the chair, his favorite in the house, Loki opened the laptop and switched it on, clicking on a folder with various documents related to the treasury. It was dull and Loki would have preferred to be looking at just about anything else.

A couple hours passed and Loki started to nod off when he suddenly felt a vibration in his inner pocket. Sniffing, Loki reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone. It was the alarm that normally woke him up. Looking back to the screen, Loki emailed himself a few things for the meeting and then turned off the laptop.

Rising to his feet, Loki stretched his arms over his head and worked out the kinks in his back. Swinging his arms across his chest to stretch them, the trickster glanced to the opened door. He heard his brother cough softly.

Loki made his way out of the office, easily going about his usual morning routine. Eventually, he moved to the kitchen and put a kettle on. Loki strode back through the house to the bedroom, where Thor was still sleeping. The trickster moved to his bedside, sitting on the edge of the mattress.

“Thor?” he called softly, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder. Thor grunted and pulled the blankets tighter about him. Loki grinned, feeling slightly less concerned. Thor never did enjoy waking up. He absolutely loved mornings, but the god of thunder never enjoyed the waking up aspect of them. The trickster glanced to the side when he heard plaintive mewing. Both cats were in the open doorway, their tails swishing from side to side, watching the gods expectantly. Thor normally fed them right around this time.

“Brother, I shall be leaving in an hour,” Loki told him and Thor nodded. “I am going to make you some tea and there is some freshly squeezed juice in the refrigerator. You need to try to drink at least a little today. You should also try to eat something at some point. Is there anything else you require?”

Thor grunted and shook his head, curling up slightly. Loki smiled and rose to his feet, moving out of the room. He was followed by the two cats. The trickster fed them their morning meal as he waited for the kettle to start whistling. He turned his attention to it when it did, swiftly fixing two cups of tea.

He brought one into the bedroom, placing it on the table next to Thor’s bed. The trickster then returned to the kitchen and made himself a quick breakfast, enjoying his morning meal in peace. It was a little lonely, eating alone, but Loki was certain that it wouldn’t be long before Thor was back to his old self and they returned to their usual routine.

_*_

The morning meetings were even duller than Loki had expected. He did his best to listen as various advisors and officials spoke. The trickster nodded when he felt appropriate, spoke when required, and jotted down some notes for Thor to review later.

The afternoon meeting with the economists and treasurers was the worst. During one particularly long-winded speech from one of the treasurers, Loki dropped his hands below the table and cast some minor spells, playing with his magic and seidr. He cast an image of a wolf chasing after a stag, a horse galloping across a bridge, two Einherjar engaged in combat.

He frowned when his green magic was suddenly joined by a faint gold shimmering, which formed a stone of some kind, perhaps a crystal. It looked very familiar. Where had he seen it before?

“Loki?”

Loki startled when he heard Heimdall’s calm deep voice. To his embarrassment, he realized the treasurer had finished speaking. Sif was watching him, clearly irritated. Heimdall was unreadable, as always. The trickster cleared his throat and dropped his foot to the ground.

“My apologies. I had a long night,” Loki apologized. “You were speaking of taxes?”

The treasurer’s assistant, a younger woman, was mercifully succinct and summarized whatever the man had been blathering about. She pulled out a thick packet and passed it down to Loki. It had just reached his hands when his phone started vibrating in an inner pocket of his jacket. The trickster placed the packet down and glanced at his phone, frowning when he saw it was a text from Sam Wilson. His brother’s friends didn’t often contact him. Opening the text, Loki felt his blood run cold.

_Hey, Loki. The attendees of one of the sessions from the UN last week have come down with something really nasty. SHIELD has been investigating and found evidence that they might have been poisoned or exposed to some kind of toxin. They’re trying to contact the people who were in that session and have been able to reach almost everyone. Thor was there and he’s not answering his phone. Is he with you?_

“Heimdall, Sif, could you please take over?” Loki requested as he stood up from his seat. “I’m needed elsewhere.”

He didn’t wait for a response as he left the room and made his way to the stairwell, descending them two at a time. The trickster forced himself to walk briskly but not run, maintaining his calm demeanor. Inwardly, his heart was pounding in his ears and it felt like his long legs couldn’t move fast enough. He’d known, he’d _known_ , something was wrong.

Reaching the bustling main street, Loki’s eyes darted around the crowds, searching for the Valkyrie. She normally trained on Wednesdays, but she sometimes ran errands afterward. He didn’t see her, but his eyes landed on someone else and Loki darted straight for her.

Wanda Maximoff had just stepped out of the grocery store with a couple full bags, including a bouquet of colorful flowers. She opened the back of her car when Loki reached her and latched onto her wrist. Wanda jolted, obviously surprised, and looked at him with large brown eyes.

“Loki? Wha—?”

“No time,” Loki said. “I need you to drive me to my home. It’s an emergency.”

Wanda’s eyes widened slightly and she nodded, putting the rest of the bags into the backseat of the car before shutting the door. She hurried to the driver’s side and Loki was already opening the passenger’s door, dropping into the seat.

As they sped through the streets, much faster than they should have been going, Loki tried to text and call his brother. With each failed attempt, the trickster felt more and more anxious. He tried to convince himself that Thor was just ignoring his phone. Sometimes, when he didn’t want to be disturbed, he put it on silent. That was probably what he did. The god of thunder probably just wanted to sleep and not be disturbed.

When they reached the house, Loki leapt out of the car before it came to a complete stop. He ran up the front walkway, swiftly pulling his keys out of his pocket. The trickster could hear Wanda running up behind him, but he didn’t pay her any heed as he jammed the key into the lock. Throwing the door open, Loki looked around the main area of the house and swore loudly when he saw Thor.

His brother was on the floor in the main area of the small house, shaking wildly. Loki swiftly ran to him, sliding on his knees and carefully turned Thor on his side, trying to stabilize him as much as possible. Foam was escaping from Thor’s lips and sweat was pouring off the god of thunder.

“Call an ambulance,” Loki ordered sharply to Wanda without taking his attention away from Thor. He lowered the temperature of one hand and placed it against Thor’s brow, wincing at the unnatural heat he felt. The fever was even higher than it had been.

“I’m here, brother,” Loki soothed, hoping his brother could hear him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for being late. I'm super swamped at the moment (plus, I had another fic idea and I wanted to jot down the basics of it so I didn't forget it. No idea if anything will come of it).
> 
> Okay, the next chapter might be slightly delayed, but I will try to post it on Wednesday. If I'm unable to, I should be able to post on Friday. Also, comment responses might be slightly delayed. Apologies if this happens.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos welcomed and appreciated. I love chatting with you lot :-D
> 
> Next chapter will be up either Wednesday or Friday.
> 
> See everyone there!


	5. Chapter 5

“Can you two possibly spend one week outside of a damn hospital?”

Loki glanced to the side when he heard Brunnhilde’s cross voice. The Valkyrie was standing in the entrance of the waiting room, hands on her hips. She was dressed in her normal everyday clothes and blew a strand of hair out of her face.

“What happened this time?” she grumbled as she approached the trickster. Loki glanced over to where Wanda was sitting, watching the two of them.

“I received a text from Sam Wilson. Apparently SHIELD was attacked, again, this time with some kind of poison or toxin. They couldn’t reach Thor, so he texted me. I went home and found Thor on the ground, seizing,” Loki explained. “They’re examining him right now.”

Brunnhilde opened her mouth to ask something else when Wanda nodded over to the side.

“Bruce is coming,” she told them. Loki twisted and noticed the man hiding the monster approaching. He turned his attention to the doctor. Banner was wringing his hands and his skin briefly swirled a worrying shade of green.

“Hey, Loki, we need your help,” Banner said. “We’ve managed to bring his fever down a little, but he’s delirious and he doesn’t recognize anyone. I tried talking to him, but I got zapped. Nearly brought out the green guy, which would not have been great. I don’t want to put him in restraints. It seems like that might make things worse, but I honestly don’t know what to do. We need to run some tests on Thor, bloodwork and the like, to know what’s going on.”

“I shall speak with him,” Loki said. “What room is he in?”

“Just down the hall, room 116,” Banner said, gesturing to the doorway he’d entered through. Loki moved past him and made his way down the long hallway. The lighting was unpleasant and the sterile smell was nauseating. He passed a few doctors and nurses, none of whom he recognized. The trickster noticed that most of them looked frightened and nervous, but there were some who seemed rather unbothered. That struck Loki as peculiar. His brother could be rather intimidating, especially when using his lightning. The trickster pushed it to the back of his mind for the moment.

When he reached room 116, Loki opened the door and stepped inside. Thor was sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. He glanced to the side when Loki entered and his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Brother? What are you doing here?” he asked, squinting. “Your hair…it’s long.”

Loki frowned. “Yes, I’ve worn it this way for quite some time.”

Thor shook his head and scoffed. “Of all the ridiculous things to lie about, Loki, you choose your hair. It was barely touching your chin a few days ago.”

The trickster tilted his head, unsure what to make of that statement. He opened his mouth to respond when Thor continued.

“Is father still angry?” he asked, sounding both petulant and oddly hopeful.

“Father?”

“Am I still banished?”

_He thinks it’s the past,_ the trickster realized. Loki approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder, looking into his brother’s eye, searching his face. Thor looked back at him, waiting for his response. Unsure of exactly what to do or say, Loki shook his head.

“No, he’s not angry anymore,” Loki lied, unable to handle the hopeful look in his brother’s glassy gaze. Thor smiled, that thousand-watt smile that could light up any room.

“Then I can come home?”

Loki forced himself to smile. “Yes, after you’ve rested. You’re tired, are you not?”

“Not overly,” Thor argued, trying to hide a yawn. Loki swallowed and glanced over his shoulder.

“Brother, will you please allow the Midgardian healers to draw some blood, just to make sure you aren’t ill?” Loki requested, trying not to sound like he was pleading. Thor looked at him, suspiciously, and then briefly turned his attention toward the door.

“I do not trust them, brother. The mortals speak in whispers and some are wearing masks. I think they mean us harm,” Thor told him.

“Thor, I swear to you, Dr. Banner is a friend and he only wishes to help you. At least allow him to see to you.”

“What illnesses could a mortal possibly know of that would afflict Aesir?”

Loki shrugged. “Consider it an act of good faith. You want to show father you’re ready to lead, do you not? Perhaps being diplomatic and not alienating allies is a good way to do so.”

Thor sighed, his shoulders slumping in resignation. “I suppose you’re right. You have always been better at forging alliances and diplomatic matters.”

Loki scoffed. “ _I’m_ the god of lies, brother. Leave the stretching of the truth to me.”

Thor laughed softly before grimacing in pain, clutching his weaker arm. The movement didn’t escape Loki’s notice.

“Is your arm bothering you?”

Thor nodded. “It feels like I’ve injured it, though I do not remember how.”

The trickster rubbed his palms together, curious about what was afflicting his brother. He was worried, especially since Thor seemed unaware of the present, but Loki was intrigued to have a puzzle to solve. The trick was figuring out how to get his brother to be cooperative. If Thor thought it was his first trip to Midgard, chances were he would be even more stubborn than usual.

“Before the doctor returns, will you allow me to look inside your memories, brother?” Loki asked and Thor stared at him.

“Why?”

“You took a bad spill and the doctor implied that you might experience some memory loss,” Loki quickly came up with a lie. “I want to see if that’s the case. If it is, I might be able to restore whatever memories you lost.”

“You never ask permission to do such things.” Thor looked skeptical as he studied his brother. “You’re not going to stab me, are you?”

Loki couldn’t help but snicker at that. “No, I swear I will not stab you. I’m not in snake form, am I?”

Thor snorted and looked at his brother, nodding his consent. Loki reached forward and laid a palm on his brother’s brow, closing his eyes. He found himself in a thick gray mist. No matter where he looked, fog obscured everything. Loki could only glimpse flashes of memories, nothing in order. He could sense disorganization and confusion, memories shattered into shards like broken glass, some strange ailment keeping them in such a state. Loki felt an odd ache race through him. His brother was sick, but he couldn’t sense any sort of magic. This evil was likely Midgardian in origin, and yet there was something that felt oddly familiar…

_Do not…where I am. When…I am._

The trickster frowned at the odd distorted message. He would have continued trying to decipher its meaning but Thor suddenly pitched forward, pulling Loki out of his trance just in time to catch his brother.

“Thor?” Loki called, worried. He shook his brother but Thor didn’t respond. Glancing over to the shut door, the trickster yelled for help. It only took a few seconds before a few nurses and Banner entered the room, helping Loki with the now unconscious god of thunder.

“You should be able to run your tests now, but only you. Thor seemed to be put off by the unfamiliar faces,” Loki told him as he stood out of the way. Banner nodded, dismissing the nurses who were new and instructing ones who remained what to do before moving back over to Loki.

“He thinks it’s back when he was first banished to Midgard,” Loki mentioned. Banner’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“That would explain why he didn’t recognize me,” he said. “That’s a concerning symptom. You said there may have been some sort of poison used at the SHIELD meeting at the UN?”

Loki nodded once, watching the activity around his brother. Banner scratched the back of his head and followed Loki’s gaze to the bed.

“Tony was telling me some unsettling rumors about new groups who have been stirring up some trouble. I’ll get in touch with SHIELD, see if they’ve found anything,” he said. “Whatever it was, it seems like it was nasty stuff. Your brother picked a hell of a time to get sick, with us being short staffed at the moment.”

Loki made a noncommittal sound in response as he continued watching the nurses draw blood samples.

_*_

Later at night, Loki and Brunnhilde were speaking quietly at the entrance of Thor’s room. They had moved him up to the second floor to better monitor his condition. The god of thunder hadn’t woken since he passed out, but he seemed to be resting comfortably. The tests had come back inconclusive. Thor’s temperature had stabilized after he’d been covered with cold packs, but Banner was concerned that it could start rising again.

“If he was poisoned, one of us should journey to the states and offer our assistance in the investigation,” Brunnhilde mentioned. “I vote me, because I wasn’t the one who tried to conquer the country.”

Loki gave her a very dry look. “We would likely only be in the way. SHIELD tends to like to handle things on its own, based on what I’ve heard and seen.”

“Then maybe we should send Banner,” Brunnhilde suggestion. “He used to work for them and if they find an antidote, he’ll be able to bring it back quickly.”

The trickster raised an eyebrow. That wasn’t a wholly terrible idea, provided the man hiding the monster agreed to it. His eyes traveled back to where his brother was sleeping peacefully. The peculiar images from his dream came back to mind and Loki frowned, trying to think about what it could mean.

“I’ll let Sif and Heimdall know what happened, ask if they can cover for the two of you,” Brunnhilde offered as she pulled her phone out of one of her back pockets. “I’ll be back shortly.”

Loki nodded and watched her move back toward where the waiting room was. He turned when he heard footsteps approaching, noticing Banner a short way down the hall. The doctor walked over to him, glancing in at Thor.

“So I got in touch with SHIELD,” Bruce told the trickster. “There’s a new group that’s been on their radar that goes by Earth First. It’s an extremist group dedicated to ridding the world of extraterrestrials. It formed after the attacks of Thanos and Ymir and they’ve been steadily growing in numbers.”

“Let me guess: they’re not exactly keen on New Asgard or her citizens,” Loki muttered. There were times when he really didn’t understand his brother’s love of their new home. Mortals’ tendency to overreact and jump into extremism at the first sign of danger was tiring.

Banner smiled softly. “Yeah, they’re not too pleased with our home. I’ve been told that I should give you a heads up that they’re not exactly fond of you either.”

“Shocking.”

“The thing that concerns SHIELD is the rate at which it has grown. People tend to do rash things when they’re afraid. Unfortunately, Earth First attracted a lot of former Hydra operatives and other unpleasant sorts. Plenty of enemies from our past and they use similar tactics and strategies,” Banner paused and looked over to where Thor was sleeping. “According to SHIELD’s intel, the group has been experimenting with some new viruses and poisons lately, which is what they think this is. Good news is they’ve got their best scientists on it and have already made some good headway. I’ve offered my help and they’ve accepted. I’m heading out to the airport right now. I’ll let you know when we find something.”

The trickster looked back in on his brother, his brows knitting together. Something about Thor’s symptoms was bothering him, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly.

“The others who were exposed, I assume they’re having the same symptoms?” Loki asked, turning his attention back to Banner. The doctor’s brows knit together and he scratched the back of his head.

“That’s the odd thing, everyone in that meeting got sick, but their symptoms are somewhat different and varied,” Banner replied with a shrug. “Nobody is showing the same symptoms as Thor, but seeing as how your brother is Aesir and the others who were exposed are more or less human, that’s not overly surprising.”

Loki crossed his arms over his chest, tapping one finger against his upper arm. “Well, have a safe journey and return swiftly. I feel that the sooner Thor receives an antidote the better.”

Banner paused, studying the trickster for a moment. “Listen, Loki. I have some experience with people in similar states, where they’re not always lucid. It can be dangerous sometimes.”

Loki snickered and looked back to his brother. “I highly doubt Thor is a danger to any citizen of New Asgard. Least of all me.”

“Just be careful. I know you and Thor had a pretty fraught relationship until recently. I would hate for either of you to be hurt.”

“Yes, yes,” Loki said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Banner sighed, his shoulders dropping slightly, and patted Loki’s arm. He started making his way down the hall, passing by Brunnhilde on his way out. The Valkyrie nodded to him and continued moving toward Loki.

“Brunnhilde, would you mind calling Wanda and asking her to watch over the house in our absence?” Loki requested.

“Already done,” Brunnhilde said, tucking phone in her back pocket. “She said it’s not a problem and she’ll watch your cats for as long as you and Thor are here.”

“Good,” Loki muttered, glancing over to where his brother still slept. Brunnhilde studied him, leaning against the doorframe.

“I imagine you’ll remain here with Thor while he’s indisposed,” she mentioned and he shrugged.

“It seems the wisest course of action. My brother still recognizes me. If the healers need to run more tests, I can convince him to cooperate,” Loki told her, frowning. “You wouldn’t happen to remember the history of plagues in Asgard, would you?”

“Some. Why do you ask?”

Loki clasped his hands behind his back. “I feel like Thor’s symptoms are reminiscent of something I read once, ages ago.”

“I’ll stop by Heimdall’s, see if he can jog my memory,” Brunnhilde offered. “I’ll check in on you tomorrow morning.”

They exchanged a few words of parting and then the Valkyrie left. Loki watched her go before turning back to the room and shutting the door behind him. He switched off the light and made his way across the darkened space to the couch. The trickster stretched out his lean body on the couch, laying on his back and interlacing his fingers behind his head. His eyes slowly closed as Loki fell asleep.

_*_

_The night after Ragnarok, Loki knew something was off with Thor. His brother’s movements were stiffer than normal and he walked more gingerly than he usually did, wincing whenever someone came close to him. When Loki asked about it, Thor brushed him off, simply saying he was still aching from the battle. At first, Loki tried to ignore him, but it started to get on his nerves._

_Their quarters were together. With limited space, no one had a private room. Thor and Loki had the only double. Everyone else had a minimum of four and more commonly, six or more had to bunk together. Thankfully, everyone was too exhausted for there to be any real strife._

_Late one night, Loki was woken by the sounds of his brother being sick. His eyes snapped open and he sat up, looking to where the miniscule bathroom was. Thor hadn’t even been able to shut the door and was hunched over the small toilet, his entire form heaving as he vomited. The trickster rolled his eyes and stood from the floor, softly padding over to the bathroom._

_“So when I asked if you were all right and you told me yes, I’m assuming that was a lie,” Loki observed dryly as he leaned against the doorframe. “What happened, Thor?”_

_“I’m fine,” Thor managed to rasp out before heaving violently again. Loki raised an eyebrow._

_“Clearly,” he said sarcastically, craning his neck a little. There was a spot of blood on his brother’s hand. Shaking his head, Loki stepped inside the cramped space. He made a face of disgust at the stench._

_“Thor, where are you wounded?”_

_The god of thunder was quiet for a moment, massaging his brow and closing his eye. He seemed to be debating what to tell his brother. Thor looked up at the trickster, squinting against the harsh light._

_“My midsection and my back,” Thor answered, putting his head in his hand again. “The wounds might be infected. I’ve already taken some medicine, as much as we can spare. I just need to wait for it to start taking affect. There’s nothing more to be done.”_

_Loki knelt beside him, urging his brother to straighten up. “Take off your shirt. Let me see how bad it is.”_

_“You’re no more a healer than me, Loki,” Thor grumbled and Loki harrumphed._

_“I’m not a healer, but I have some basic healing abilities, more than you do. Either let me see to you or I’ll have to pull Eir away from the citizens, most of whom have great need of her,” Loki told him. “Do you want your stubbornness to cause the deaths of even more Asgardians? Haven’t they been through enough?”_

_The god of thunder glared at him, but removed his loose shirt. His movements were stiff and deliberate, as if all movement pained him. Loki studied the gauze around his brother’s midsection. Thor had wrapped it, sloppily, and Loki could already see blood starting to dapple the white bandaging. The trickster carefully unwound the bandage. He gritted his teeth when he saw the angry shade of red around the wounds. Gently touching the inflamed flesh, Loki could feel the heat of infection. The god of thunder winced in pain and Loki dropped his hand._

_“Are you done being sick?” Loki asked and Thor nodded, placing his head in his hand. “I’m going to tend to this, wrap it again, properly, and then you are going to bed.”_

_“Who will take care of our people?”_

_Loki stared at his brother, still confused by Thor referring to the Asgardians as “their people.” It was very odd to be counted among them again. Shaking his head, the trickster grinned._

_“Heimdall’s with us. I’m sure he and Brunnhilde will be able to manage things while you recover,” he reassured the god of thunder. Thor was about to smile when a look of alarm crossed his face and he pushed Loki out of the way, hunching over the toilet again. The trickster sighed and got to his feet, intending to seek out some first aid supplies and bandaging._

_Later, after he’d seen to his brother’s wounds, Loki sat on the ground beside Thor, who was burning with fever. There were very few mattresses on the ship. Whatever there was had been given to the women and children. Everyone else had a few blankets and a pillow. It certainly wasn’t the worst sleeping arrangement Loki had ever experienced, though he did complain at length about being forced to sleep like a commoner. That was mostly just to annoy Thor._

_Wringing out a rag, Loki placed it across Thor’s brow. There was an empty bucket nearby, in case Thor felt sick again. The god of thunder’s eye slowly opened, glazed over, and he looked to the trickster._

_“What are you so frightened of, brother?” Thor asked._

_“Pardon?”_

_“I know when you’re afraid, even though you think I do not. You have been running for so long, Loki. Since the incident in New York. Something frightens you and I want you to tell me what,” Thor explained, coughing a little._

_“You were tempted, weren’t you?”_

_Loki turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder. Frigga was standing there, a kind smile playing over her lips. “You almost told him everything.”_

_“Yes,” Loki admitted as he glanced back to his brother who was still looking at him with such fondness and compassion. Thor had always had that instinctive need to make everything better, even when it was impossible to do so._

_“Perhaps I should have,” Loki continued. “Maybe…maybe things would have turned out differently.”_

_The trickster’s attention returned fully to his brother. Loki smirked and shook his head._

_“Nothing, brother. The fever is making your imagination run wild,” Loki said, reaching to the side. “Do you think you can keep down a little bread and water? Our rations are abysmal, but I managed to—”_

_“I won’t let anyone hurt you, Loki,” Thor whispered, grabbing his brother’s hand and squeezing it gently. “I swear it on my life. Now that you’ve returned, you’re under my protection, the same as any other citizen. Whoever or whatever you’re running from, they will not lay a finger on you. Not as long as I live.”_

_Loki swallowed hard and that creeping sense of dread returned. He could hear the ominous ticking of a clock, the sound he’d heard since failing Thanos. The trickster was living on borrowed time. He only hoped that his oaf of a brother wouldn’t get in the way when the inevitable reckoning came his way._

_“What did you take from Asgard, Loki?” Frigga asked behind him and Loki looked back to her, frowning in confusion._

_“The tesseract?”_

_She grinned, love sparkling in her eyes, and shook her head._

_“My darling, I know you could never leave home without some mementos, things you stowed away just in case,” Frigga continued kindly. “You would take something to remind you of me.”_

_Loki nodded. He had grabbed a few things earlier, when he was still posing as Odin. Most of what he’d taken had belonged to his mother. He stored them away in hidden pockets of reality, in case he ever had to run again. When he’d set up the house in New Asgard, he’d buried them in closets and forgot about them. What was it he had taken…?_

_*_

Loki’s eyes slowly fluttered open and he found himself face-to-face with his brother. It only took a moment for Loki to recognize the look of anger and hurt that colored Thor’s expression. The trickster’s eyes widened.

“Oh sh—”

He didn’t get out another word as Thor’s strong hand latched around his neck and he was yanked off the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, everything went fine and I'm able to post on time. Hooray! :) (Granted, I'm still a bit woozy and I'm going back to sleep after posting this, but this is one of my favorite chapters of this fic and I _really_ wanted to post it).
> 
> I've been reading about delirium off and on. It's a difficult state to write about (there are periods of lucidity and periods of being in the past). When I was outlining this fic, I thought it would be really interesting to explore what it would be like for Thor to be in a state like this and how Loki would react. They're essentially reliving their past in a very strange and sometimes frightening way.
> 
> Also, I really loved writing the memory/dream sequence on the ship. Something about it just flowed really nicely (it was one of those scenes I could vividly picture in my mind).
> 
> As always, comments and kudos welcomed and appreciated. I do so love chatting with the lot of you.
> 
> Next chapter goes up Friday.
> 
> See everyone then! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**_Day Four_ **

Loki winced when his head slammed against the wall and Thor’s grip tightened. The trickster grabbed onto the hand that was holding his throat in an iron grasp, gagging and gasping for breath. Thor’s eye was burning in the darkness and his grip was merciless.

“Brother…I…can’t…breathe,” Loki gasped as he continued to struggle, clawing desperately at his brother’s large arm.

“Where is it?” Thor growled at him. “Where is the tesseract?”

“Gone,” Loki wheezed. “It was destroyed by Thanos when he was gathering the infinity stones.”

“I am in no mood for games, brother,” Thor snarled. “Who is this Thanos? Is he the one pulling your strings? Is he the reason you’re here, harming and killing innocent people?”

Loki started to feel lightheaded from the lack of air and he looked at his brother, pleadingly. It had been quite some time since he’d been genuinely frightened of his brother, but looking into Thor’s merciless face, Loki felt a hint of fear. His brother was killing him. Thor was going to kill him.

“Thor…please.”

Thor’s eye widened slightly when he realized how tightly he was holding Loki. He immediately released his brother. The trickster inhaled deeply, falling heavily to his knees, his legs not wanting to hold up his weight. He massaged his aching throat, coughing harshly and gasping as he tried to catch his breath. Loki looked up when Thor knelt beside him.

“Forgive me, brother. I-I did not mean to harm you,” he apologized, a look of horror crossing his face. “Loki, I beg of you. I know you’re hurting. I know you must feel betrayed and wish to lash out, but please, stop hurting the people of this world. They have done you no wrong. Do not harm this planet I love.”

When Thor reached out, Loki flinched and instinctively raised his hand to protect himself. The god of thunder couldn’t hide the hurt in his expression. He dropped his hand back to his side and sat on the floor across from his brother, studying the trickster.

“You’re my brother, my family, Loki. No matter whose blood runs through your veins. Your being Jotun changes nothing, especially not that. We were raised together, played together, do you not remember that?

“Give up this poisonous dream and come home,” Thor pleaded earnestly and Loki almost winced at the memory of the first time he’d heard those words. He didn’t remember much of his first trip to Midgard, having buried most of those memories. His mind had still been in tatters and it took quite a while to put it back together, but he did vividly remember clashing with Thor.

Loki briefly closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, his throat still aching. Looking to the god of thunder, the trickster nodded. He opened his mouth to respond, but his voice was still rough from being strangled. Clearing his throat and licking his lips, the trickster tried again.

“All right, Thor. I will come home,” Loki spoke the words he wished he had spoken then. Maybe it would have changed all the events that transpired after.

Thor looked surprised at his acquiescence and carefully rested his hand on the trickster’s shoulder. This time, Loki didn’t flinch or pull away from his brother. The god of thunder grinned faintly.

“Good,” Thor whispered as he brought their brows to rest together. “Good. We shall retrieve the tesseract and then return to Asgard. All will be well, brother. I will speak with Father and we shall fix this, together.”

Loki swallowed thickly. “Can we rest first? Just for a night? I am very tired and haven’t slept in a while.”

Thor frowned and studied his brother, searching his face. “You mentioned a name. Thanos? Who is he? What did he do to you?”

It wasn’t the first time Loki was relieved he had very few physical scars from his time with Thanos. Most of Thanos’ prisoners, what few survived, bore the scars of the constant torture. Loki’s flesh proved more durable than even he’d realized. What few scars he had, he managed to conceal with glamors.

“Later, brother,” Loki whispered with a faint grin. “I shall tell you everything in the morning. But you’re also looking weary. Come, I shall help you back to bed.”

Thor, of course, was never one to be fooled by evasive responses. “This Thanos, did he harm you, Loki?”

“Thor—”

“Where is he? I shall smite him,” Thor growled fiercely. The trickster massaged his brow. It was too late at night to be dealing with this.

“Thor, I know this is going to be difficult to hear, but you’re remembering events that happened long ago. Things are very different now. You have already defeated Thanos. We are on Midgard because it is our home,” Loki explained calmly. “I can tell you more in the morning and try to clear your memories again, but I am really very tired and wish to go to sleep.”

Thor stared at him, blinking owlishly. He clenched his eye shut and shook his head.

“I do not understand,” he whispered. “Your words shouldn’t make sense, but I feel like they do. My head feels very muddled. I feel like I should trust you, but I do not remember why.”

He opened his eye again and looked over at the trickster, uncertainty reflected on his face. “Loki…why can’t I remember?”

Loki swallowed and wrapped his arms around his brother, embracing him tightly. “I don’t know, Thor. But I’m going to help you figure this out. You know how much I enjoy complicated riddles.”

Thor smiled and briefly pressed his face against Loki’s shoulder. “I do not think I can stand. My legs feel very unsteady.”

“Come on, lean against me,” Loki whispered, carefully helping him to his feet. He allowed his brother to lean against him as he led the god of thunder back to the bed. The trickster helped Thor back to bed and tucked the covers around him again.

“You’re being very…un-Loki-like,” Thor commented and the trickster couldn’t help but laugh at the statement.

“Living with you has made me sentimental, I’m afraid. It’s nauseating,” Loki replied and Thor smiled faintly.

“There’s the brother I remember,” Thor whispered, pulling the covers closer around him. “You won’t disappear again?”

Loki shook his head. “No, Thor. My days of running are long behind me.”

A small grin danced across Thor’s lips and he turned on his side. “Loki?”

“Yes, brother?”

“I feel very ill. Am I sick?”

“You are, but you shall recover. Soon this will all just be an unpleasant memory,” Loki reassured him and Thor nodded, nestling his head in the pillow. The trickster sat on the bed, waiting until the god of thunder fell asleep before returning to the couch.

_*_

Loki was awake before Thor the next morning. He glanced over to where his brother was sleeping and then swung up into a sitting position. Approaching the bed, the trickster watched the god of thunder for any signs that he would wake up. When he was certain Thor was still asleep, Loki rubbed his palms together rapidly and then placed one on Thor’s chest. A green light emanated from under the trickster’s palm as he reached out with his seidr and examined his brother.

The trickster winced when his seidr briefly pooled in the scars left from the infinity stones, damage that would never fully heal. Whereas the trickster had mostly escaped from scarring, Thor had not been so lucky. His body bore a multitude of scars. There were some neat, barely visible ones from the measures that had been taken to keep him alive after they had brought him back. There was still a long jagged line where Thanos had driven a sharp blade through Thor’s body, mortally wounding the god of thunder.

The worst were the five crude round scars across Thor’s midsection, where the infinity stones had burned through flesh and muscle. Loki had only seen the scars a few times, but they were cemented in his mind. The trickster knew the wounds still pained his brother on occasion, as they always would. Thor was good at hiding his discomfort, but Loki knew when he was hurting. The trickster had always been perceptive when it came to subtle cues.

After a moment, Loki drew his hand away. He could sense a virus of some kind at work in Thor’s body, but he didn’t know what it was. It didn’t feel like any illness he’d ever encountered before. The trickster wished their mother were with them. Frigga would almost certainly be able to figure out what was afflicting Thor. She was a natural healer, unlike Loki. Glancing toward the door, the trickster noticed how quiet it was. What he wouldn’t give for more healers in town.

“Loki?”

The trickster looked over at Thor, grinning. “Good morning, brother.”

Thor frowned as he studied the trickster. “Your neck, what happened?”

_Damn,_ Loki thought when he realized he’d forgotten to put a glamor on his throat to conceal the faint bruising from Thor’s crushing grip. Swiftly conjuring one, Loki shook his head.

“Nothing,” he replied with a confident smirk. “How are you feeling?”

Thor studied him skeptically. “Loki, please don’t do that. Don’t lie to me.”

Loki crossed his arms over his chest. “Am I not the god of lies?”

Thor rubbed his eye, his brow creasing. “My memory of last night is…I can’t remember anything in detail. Did…did I hurt you, brother?”

“No,” Loki answered easily. “Thor, do you know where we are? The year?”

“I did then,” Thor muttered as he slumped back in his bed. Loki ran a hand over his face, exasperated. His brother was too willing to take blame for things that were out of his control.

“You’re unwell. We need to figure out what’s afflicting you,” Loki tried again.

“You shouldn’t be here. I’m dangerous to be around.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “When has that ever not been true?”

Thor stared at him, horrified, but Loki grinned.

“Neither of us is known for avoiding danger or harm. I’m fairly certain we’re both rather dangerous to be around. Norns, I’ve stabbed you how many times now? And that was before the incident with the mad titan,” Loki pointed out. “You didn’t do any lasting harm. I am fine.”

“Loki, I could have killed you,” Thor said.

“You could have, but you didn’t. You wouldn’t, not even when unwell. You released me the moment you realized I couldn’t breathe.”

Thor swallowed. “I harmed you the same way Thanos did.”

Loki snorted. “You’re no Thanos, brother. You have too high an opinion of yourself and your strength. Trust me. I was in no danger.”

The god of thunder might have said more but was overtaken by a coughing fit. Loki inched closer to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. After a moment, Thor was able to catch his breath and slumped back in his bed. Loki’s heart clenched when he saw the blood on his brother’s lips.

“Everything is mixed up, Loki,” Thor told him. “I can feel my memories coming apart at the seams and it frightens me.”

“I know, brother,” Loki said. “Banner has gone out to the SHIELD facility where they’re researching what you were exposed to. Do you remember anything about the meeting you had the night before you came home?”

Thor swallowed and shook his head. “No. I barely remember the meeting or being away. I barely remember this being our home.”

Loki rubbed his upper lip, contemplating trying to search inside his brother’s memories again.

“Wait…I remember…coffee. They brought in coffee, an assistant or perhaps someone who was working in the building. They had a strange tattoo on their wrist, a small drawing of this planet, I think. There might have been some words too,” Thor said quietly. “Loki, it’s so hot.”

The trickster lowered the temperature of his palm and reached forward, placing it on his brother’s unnaturally warm brow. Thor sighed softly in relief, his eye closing.

“Thank you, brother,” he whispered. The trickster felt a vibration in his pocket and pulled out his phone with his free hand, staring at the screen.

“I need to take this, Thor,” he said softly. “I shall return shortly.”

Thor nodded. “Just…be careful. I think there are monsters out there. Maybe, I am not sure.”

Loki frowned as he stood from the bed, moving to the door. When he stepped out into the hall, he spotted Brunnhilde almost immediately.

“Could you sit with my brother for a moment?” Loki requested as he answered his phone. The Valkyrie nodded and moved into the room.

“Hello, Bruce,” Loki spoke into the phone.

“You’re either going to hate this or love it,” Banner said and the trickster leaned against a nearby wall, intrigued. There was a lot of background noise on Bruce’s end, voices and papers rustling.

“Let me guess, they still have no idea what it is,” Loki replied, glancing down the hall when he noticed a couple nurses moving into a room. The trickster frowned when he spotted a man he didn’t recognize. The man was dressed in blue scrubs and he looked more muscular than was typical for healers or medical professionals. When he noticed Loki watching him, he looked down at the chart he was holding and wandered off down the hall.

“They don’t know what it is, but they have figured out what it does. It’s actually rather fascinating. It’s like a chameleon virus. It takes on characteristics of other viruses and diseases, to the point where the afflicted start having symptoms of them,” Banner explained, drawing Loki’s attention back to the call. “Of course, it makes it a pain in the ass to treat. How’s Thor holding up?”

“Stable at the moment, more or less,” Loki replied. “His memory is not reliable. He thought it was the past again last night.”

“Yeah, Loki, I was just thinking: everyone who was hit with this thing is human except for Thor. They’ve all shown symptoms of Earth diseases and viruses. They respond to Earth treatments. The symptoms Thor’s had…they don’t match up with any disease I’m familiar with.”

Loki massaged his brow. “They wouldn’t. He’s likely afflicted with an illness from Asgard’s history. I have Brunnhilde and Heimdall looking into it. By the time Thor and I were around, most diseases had been eradicated. There were some plagues in the early years of Asgard, though. Chances are that’s what this virus is mimicking.”

“Well, we’re working on a general antidote for this virus, but chances are it’s going to need to be combined with the treatments used to treat whatever it’s mimicking.”

“I understand,” Loki said. He exchanged words of parting with Banner and then put his phone back into his pocket. He moved down the hall, peering into each window, searching for the mysterious surgeon.

The trickster found him in the hallway filling a syringe with something from an ampoule. Loki stood silently a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest, just watching the man. The surgeon capped the syringe, pocketed the ampoule, and turned to go on his way, jumping when he spotted the trickster.

“Damn, you scared me,” the man laughed. Loki just studied him, not moving a muscle. The man swallowed and ran a hand through his short hair.

“You’re Thor’s brother, aren’t you? Loki, right?” the surgeon continued. Loki nodded once, keeping his expression unreadable.

“You seem to have me at a disadvantage,” the trickster finally spoke. “You know my name, but I don’t know who you are or why you’re here.”

“Oh yeah, sorry. I’m Dr. Andrews. The hospital where I normally work sent out a bunch of our people to help fill in while your healers are away,” the surgeon answered easily, moving closer and holding out his hand. The trickster made no move to shake the man’s hand. After a moment, the doctor cleared his throat and dropped his hand.

“Military background?”

Dr. Andrews didn’t move or react. “How did you know?”

“Your build and the way you move, it’s not typical of those in the regular medical profession,” Loki replied easily. “Your accent is not from here, is it?”

“No, I’m American. Didn’t think I even had an—”

Loki shook his head. “No, that’s the accent you’re attempting and, if I’m being honest, almost pulling off. I’ve heard most American accents and dialects. Yours is not one of them. So far you have not answered a single question with the truth so I ask you again: who are you and what are you doing here?”

The surgeon kept his mouth shut, not responding, his expression becoming unreadable. Loki could feel his hackles standing up as he studied the man, searching for a weak spot to target. His build would make him almost impossible to topple. A dagger would take care of him easily enough, but there was the syringe he had tucked away to worry about.

“Loki, Thor’s asking for you,” Brunnhilde stepped up next to him. “Is there a problem here?”

Dr. Andrews smiled charmingly. “I was just making the acquaintance of one of the leaders of New Asgard. Pleasure to meet you, sir. Ma’am.”

With that, he turned and continued down the opposite way. Loki’s fingers were twitching and he ground his teeth together.

“I don’t want that man anywhere near Thor,” he said as he turned his eyes to the Valkyrie. “I don’t want any doctor or nurse that we don’t personally know entering his room.”

Brunnhilde nodded in understanding. Loki stepped past her and made his way back to his brother’s room, suddenly feeling very aware of the emptiness of the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The opening scene was a more difficult one to write :( Delirium can be frightening, not only for the afflicted but also for the people around them.
> 
> Special thanks to reader Claire for the absolutely gorgeous fanart she's drawn of both "Cursed" and "Fevered Memories" (gah! They're so pretty!!!! I seriously should make a Tumblr because OMG! Claire is ridiculously talented) <3 <3 <3 <3
> 
> I can't believe it's already Friday. Where did the week go?
> 
> Next chapter will be up Monday (the next two chapters need some serious polishing, so that's what I'll be doing this weekend).
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are welcomed and appreciated. I do so love chatting with you lot :)
> 
> See everyone Monday!


	7. Chapter 7

**_Day Five_ **

He was uncomfortably warm and his head was pounding. Thor grimaced as he raised a hand to his aching skull. Where was he again? His thoughts were…foggy. At first, he assumed he was in Asgard, perhaps having sustained an injury, either in training or in battle. Wait…no…that wasn’t right. Why wasn’t that right? Asgard…home…but it didn’t exist anymore. No, that couldn’t be right either. Hel, why did his brain feel like it was full of cotton balls?

Allowing his eye (wait a minute…why did he only have one eye?) to flutter open, he found himself staring at a tiled ceiling. The strong scent of sterilization burned his nostrils. This was like a hospital from a place he’d been once…Midgard! Was he on Midgard again? Why was he on Midgard again?

Dammit, Loki!

Noticing movement out of the corner of his eye, Thor carefully turned his head in that direction. He was hooked up to liquids of some kind and there was a giant creeping through the darkness. The tall creature moved stealthily through the dark room, approaching a couch near the window. One shadowy arm stretched out, the fingers becoming long sharp claws. Stepping into the light of the moon, Thor glimpsed blue flesh. A Jotun? Here?

Turning his gaze to where the creature was looking, Thor could just barely make out his brother stretched across a couch. Loki was asleep with some papers on his chest. The god of thunder looked back to the giant who was approaching the trickster, watching as he unsheathed a thin sword, unlike any weapon Thor had ever seen before. That was when alarm bells started to go off in Thor’s foggy mind.

“Stay away from my brother, fiend!” Thor yelled and threw a bolt of lightning at the shadowy figure. He only managed to graze him, but the giant let out a yell of pain, which jerked Loki awake. The now irate monster turned to Thor and lunged at him, his face becoming pale in the lamplight. Thor grasped his wrists, fighting to keep the weapon away from him. He was horrified to find his right arm wasn’t as strong as it normally was and the weapon dipped dangerously close to his neck.

Loki was on them in an instant, grasping the monster’s wrists and yanking him away from the god of thunder. The two struggled for control of the blade. The monster slammed his head into Loki’s nose and mouth, thrust his knee up into Loki’s groin, and threw the trickster to the ground.

Thor leapt out of bed and went to his brother’s aid, wrapping his strong arms around the giant in a bear hug. The monster thrashed and struggled, stomping down hard on Thor’s foot and causing the god to grunt in pain. Thor felt something sharp pierce his thigh, but he held firmly to the man.

Loki quickly recovered and got to his feet again, moving over to the two struggling men. The trickster yanked the needle out of Thor’s leg, stabbing it deep into the monster’s eyeball, causing their assailant to scream in pain. His scream became manic laughter and he glared at the trickster.

“Earth first,” he declared and then bit down on something.

“No!” Loki lunged forward, trying to pry the man’s mouth open. It was too late, bloody foam spewed out from his lips and he slumped in Thor’s grip. The god of thunder placed him on the ground, staring at the body in confusion and then over at his brother. Loki let out a growl of frustration, as he started examining the body. Yanking down one sleeve, the trickster studied a marking on the man’s wrist. Thor caught a glimpse of a blue and green circle, which looked a little like Midgard.

“Our planet, a human planet,” the trickster read, dropping the arm. “Perfect. Of all the things we needed.”

“He…he was Jotun.”

Loki looked up at his brother, frowning. “What?”

“He was a Jotun, but now he’s Midgardian. What sort of sorcery is this?”

Thor suddenly stumbled and Loki quickly got to his feet. The entire room was spinning and the god of thunder felt like he would be sick. He grasped Loki’s arm when the trickster approached him.

“Are you all right, Thor?”

Thor opened his mouth to respond when he suddenly remembered…Loki was supposed to be in a cell. Why wasn’t he in his cell!?

Shoving the trickster away from him, Thor glared at him. “What kind of dark sorcery have you performed this time? If you’ve hurt anyone else, Loki, I swear—”

The trickster looked over to the body, an expression of curiosity crossing his face. “What was in that syringe?”

Loki moved over to the body, pulling the syringe out of the dead man’s eye. “Still full, you should be fine.”

Thor glimpsed a brief flare of green light as Loki hid the syringe away. The trickster moved back to his brother’s side. The god of thunder was leaning against the bed, his mind feeling jumbled.

“I don’t feel well,” Thor mumbled. He looked over to Loki, who was starting to pull him free of the few tubes that were still attached to him, not bothering to be gentle in his rush.

“I know, brother,” Loki said, his wide green eyes darting about the room. They both looked to the side when the hallway went dark. The trickster looked back to his brother.

“We need to get out of this room and find Brunnhilde,” he told Thor. The god of thunder frowned as he stared at his brother. Who the Hel was Brunnhilde? Thor took a step back, creating space between himself and the trickster.

“You’re going to try to kill me again,” he muttered. “I won’t fall for your tricks, Loki.”

“Thor, I swear to you, I’m not going to hurt you,” Loki insisted, frustration creeping into his tone. The god of thunder raised a hand to his head, briefly clenching his eye shut and gritting his teeth.

“I cannot trust you,” Thor told him. “How can I ever trust you after what you’ve done? All the harm you’ve caused?”

Loki swallowed and opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again. He let out his breath, his thin shoulders slumping in defeat. He glanced back to the door again, his fingers twitching.

“You can’t,” Loki said, sounding resigned. He manifested a dagger and Thor took a step back, preparing for an attack. He was shocked when Loki switched his hold on the knife so the hilt was toward Thor. The trickster offered the god of thunder the weapon.

“Stay here, hide,” Loki instructed him. “Only use this if you have no other options. I’m going to go find help. I promise you, I will return as soon as I can.”

Thor stared at him suspiciously and the trickster moved over to the bed, placing the dagger on it. He turned, straightened his shoulders, and moved toward the door. Without quite knowing why, Thor followed him.

Loki cautiously opened the door to the darkened hallway, looking both ways to make sure he wouldn’t be ambushed. He stepped out into the hall. Thor could see the outline of a body on the ground, just outside the door. Looking back to his brother, he watched as Loki cautiously and silently stepped out into the shadows.

The trickster got half way across the hall when there was a strange noise, a muffled pop, and Loki’s leg gave out. His brother crashed to the ground with a cry of pain.

“LOKI!”

_He held his brother close, rocking him and sobbing. All around them was devastation and death. But Loki had just returned, his brother had just returned to him. This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening._

The trickster hurled a dagger of magic in the direction of the strange sound. There was the chilling sound of multiple footsteps running down the hall on both sides of them.

“Thor, run! I’ll hold them off!” Loki snapped at him. Thor was already moving. He threw himself over his brother, shielding the trickster as a couple shadowy forms appeared at the end of the hall. Thor threw a web of lightning at the frightening figures, knocking them all back.

There was another strange noise to the side of him and Thor let out a cry when he felt something hot tear open his shoulder. He felt Loki throw something behind him and it went deathly quiet again. Thor held tightly to the trickster, panting.

“Loki, are you all right? Are you hurt?” he asked.

“I’m fine, you ridiculous oaf,” Loki mumbled.

Thor’s thoughts and memories were still jumbled, but he was certain of one thing: he and Loki were in danger. Thor had to protect his brother.

“We need to get out of the open,” Thor told him softly and Loki nodded in agreement, attempting to rise to his feet. He crashed back to the ground, letting out a growl of frustration. The sound of more footsteps soon reached their ears, drawing nearer and nearer. Shoving his brother away, Loki gestured to a nearby door.

“Thor, you need to run. That door is to a stairwell. It will take you right to an exit. Now go!”

Thor shook his head stubbornly, pulling his brother to his feet and taking on most of the trickster’s weight.

“We’re getting out of this together,” he stated, determinedly, ignoring Loki rolling his eyes. He pulled the trickster to the door. Pushing down the handle and shoving it open, they entered the pitch black stairwell. The door clicked shut behind them. Thor paused, looking at the flight leading down. Something…something didn’t feel right.

“What’s wrong?” the trickster asked. Thor glanced to the stairway leading up to the next floor.

“I’m not entirely sure,” he admitted, adjusting his hold on Loki’s arm.

Loki twisted when he heard the door handle rattle. Yanking Thor over to a dark corner of the stairwell, Loki cast a glamor over both of them. He put his hand over Thor’s mouth when the god of thunder opened his mouth to ask a question. When his brother looked at him, the trickster shook his head.

A moment later, the door opened and a man with a large gun stepped into the stairwell. Loki looked over his shoulder, watching the man’s every move. He was wearing dark clothing, but there was a white symbol on his upper arm that stood out: the Earth with the words “Our Planet, A Human Planet” around it. The bright beam of the rifle’s flashlight slowly traveled over them.

The man’s foot got dangerously close to Loki, making the trickster grit his teeth. Thor held tightly to his brother, as tight as he could. A fog was settling over his mind again and he was feeling alarmingly sluggish. He couldn’t let his brother kill the man. They didn’t know what kind of backup was just behind the door. Loki squirmed, but Thor hugged him and buried his face in the trickster’s neck, trying to keep his eye on the shadowy figure in the stairwell. He wouldn’t lose Loki again, not again.

After a moment, the man pressed a button on the small radio on his shoulder. “Stairwell two clear.”

He stepped back through door. The Odinsons let out a breath of relief. Loki grimaced as he looked to his leg, hissing in pain. Thor glanced at it and saw his brother’s leg was bleeding quite heavily. He doubted Loki would be able to travel any great distance. Thor got to his feet and moved over to the railing.

The god of thunder looked to the side when Loki limped up beside him. Thor noticed how he leaned heavily on the hand railing, careful not to put any weight on his wounded leg.

“Come on. We need to get out of here,” Loki whispered, as he started to move to the stairs.

“No, Loki, wait,” Thor whispered as he put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. The trickster looked over at him, furrowing his brow.

Thor swallowed, forcing his addled mind to focus. “I…my memories are still very hazy. But I know I have faced similar foes. They will have men waiting at the exits of the building, many of whom will be hidden. One or two, we might be able to fight off, but more than that and our odds decrease.”

They both turned when they heard the crackle of a radio somewhere below them. Loki looked back to his brother.

“I will cast a glamor, cloak us both,” Loki suggested but Thor shook his head.

“Normally that would work, but you’ve been wounded,” Thor pointed out, looking at Loki’s bleeding leg. “Your illusions and glamors require energy. When you’re hurt, they sometimes flicker.”

“I’m fast enough for it not to be a problem,” Loki insisted. Thor put a hand on the back of his neck, drawing the trickster’s attention.

“I’m not, brother,” he told him, coughing quietly. “Loki, I cannot move as fast as I normally can. And I do not trust my footing.”

Loki studied his brother’s face. “Then what do you suggest, Thor? If we cannot fight and we cannot flee, what other options do we have?”

Thor nodded to the stairs leading up. “We go up, to the topmost floor. We tend to our wounds, then we find a defensible position and we defend it until help can reach us. Surely someone will have noticed something amiss.”

The trickster looked up the stairs. Two flights up on a wounded leg was a daunting task and Loki dropped his chin to his chest.

Thor wrapped his strong arm around him, supporting him and taking on most of his weight. “Come on, brother. Let’s take it one step at a time.”

Loki gave him a dry look but followed his brother as the god of thunder started to lead them up the first flight of stairs.

_*_

Brunnhilde and Heimdall walked quickly down the street, heading for the hospital. The Valkyrie held a journal under one arm, which was filled with notes they had jotted down about what they had learned about the plagues in Asgard’s history. _Loki is almost certainly not going to be happy,_ Brunnhilde thought. What little they had found painted a rather grim picture.

Heimdall suddenly stopped walked and held up his hand, making the Valkyrie pause. Brunnhilde looked over at him, questioningly. The gatekeeper tilted his head a little, squinting.

“Something’s wrong,” he told her. “There are people in strange uniforms at the hospital. I do not think they’re here with good intentions.”

Brunnhilde’s hand drifted to her sword and she looked over at Heimdall. “I don’t have your sight, so mind if I take a closer look?”

Heimdall nodded, his hand resting on the pommel of his own sword. They continued walking side-by-side and soon saw the hospital, which was being cordoned off by people in heavy Hazmat suits. Brunnhilde and Heimdall exchanged a look. The Valkyrie tilted her chin up, gesturing to the side. Heimdall moved in that direction, disappearing in the shadows and remaining out of sight. Brunnhilde continued forward, approaching one of the suited figures.

“Sorry, ma’am,” the man said, his voice muffled through his mask. “Hospital’s in quarantine, under Loki Odinson’s orders. Possible plague, we need to contain the contagion.”

“I see,” Brunnhilde said. “Well, I’m in charge of security and the personal guard of the Odinsons, so I can’t just take your word for it. You have any paperwork and some identification?”

The man gestured to another suited individual who was carrying a clipboard. Brunnhilde followed them both with her eyes, subtly watching their every move. The second figure handed the first a clipboard, which the first man then handed to the Valkyrie. Brunnhilde looked at the paperwork, flipping through the pages. Once she was done, she looked up at the man expectantly and he handed her his identification badge. Examining it briefly, the Valkyrie handed it back to him.

“Thank you very much. I’ll return in the morning to see how things are progressing,” she said politely, turning and moving back down the sidewalk. Heimdall was waiting for her in the shadows a few feet away. They started walking away from the hospital and Brunnhilde pulled out her phone, scrolling through the contacts.

“Well that man is completely full of shit,” Brunnhilde told him. “Loki never signs anything. He gets Thor to do it because he’s lazy and he also doesn’t leave paper trails. His brother could be on his damn deathbed and Loki would still have him sign official documents. Hel, I’ve seen him forge Thor’s signature on documents before. Actually does a fairly decent job if I’m being honest.”

“I couldn’t help but notice a few of those suited individuals had signal jammers,” Heimdall added. “That struck me as rather peculiar.”

Brunnhilde nodded as she selected a number and brought the phone to her ear. “He also showed me the fakest badge I’ve ever come across. I am genuinely insulted that he thought that garbage would fool me. Men, such egos.”

“Who are you calling?”

Brunnhilde smiled at the gatekeeper, patiently waiting for the person on the other end to pick up. She quickly did.

“Hello, Wanda. We have a bit of a situation and we might need your help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: the next two chapter come with tissue warnings. Especially Friday's chapter (chapter nine). Have tissues on hand for that one.
> 
> Hey, do any readers have words that just crack them up? Like you say them or hear them and it sets off a giggle-fit? Whenever I see/hear/read the word "fiend," I start snickering like you wouldn't believe. Hence why I included it in this chapter. I'm curious if anyone else has that experience.
> 
> So, am I the only person who was completely underwhelmed with the Avengers 4 trailer? I genuinely thought I couldn't be less interested in that movie and then they released the trailer and I was like, "Wow. Whole other level of I have literally no interest in seeing that ever." (I'm genuinely miffed that I wasted 2 minutes of my life watching it. I found it to be incredibly boring and it felt pasted together). ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ To each their own, I guess.
> 
> Hopefully that won't get me hatemail, LOL!
> 
> Anyhow, as always, comments and kudos are welcomed and appreciated. I really love chatting with you lot (it's often the highlight of my day) :) <3
> 
> Next chapter goes up Wednesday.
> 
> See you then!


	8. Chapter 8

Reaching the fourth floor was an ordeal all on its own. It took them much longer than Loki would have liked and they could hear the people on the floors below them. Every now and again, the crackle of a radio would cause them to freeze, fearful that an enemy would spot them.

Once they reached the fourth floor, both of them could barely stand. They stumbled around until they found a room with bandages and disinfectant. Thor carefully tended to his brother in one of the empty hospital rooms, while Loki did his best to remain silent. Even though Thor was gentle and adept, the wound was agonizing. It left Loki with the desire to find every operative in the cursed organization and flay them. The trickster was once again reminded how much he loathed firearms.

By the time Thor was finished, Loki was panting and his vision was swimming. He tested the range of motion in his leg and it was not reassuring. His seidr would undoubtedly repair it, but it would likely take a few hours. He looked over at his brother, noticing Thor was wavering on his feet. The god of thunder glanced over toward the door, his brow furrowing. The trickster felt frustration flare up in him.

“This is, without a doubt, one of the most foolish ideas you’ve ever had. We are currently trapped in a damn hospital, which is likely crawling with enemies by this point. You’re still sick and I can barely walk. Now most people would take a chance and actually try to get out. Not us, though, oh no. Instead, I listen to you and we go up, essentially trapping ourselves. Brilliant strategy, Thor! Brilliant!”

Thor shushed him and Loki felt his anger rise as he clutched the edge of the table he sat on in a white-knuckled grasp.

“Don’t you dare—!”

Thor crossed the short space faster than Loki would have thought possible and clamped a warm hand over the trickster’s mouth. Loki narrowed his eyes at his brother and would have bit his hand had it not been for a soft crashing sound somewhere nearby. Thor glanced over his shoulder.

“They’re searching the rooms,” he whispered, wincing when he heard another crashing sound.

For a tense moment, the two Odinsons stood silently, listening. Loki glared at Thor again. The god of thunder took a few steps back, his eye still fixed on the door.

“How did they know?” he whispered.

“I don’t know, Thor. Perhaps the blood I tracked up the stairwell. Bullet wounds tend to bleed,” Loki grumbled. Thor massaged his brow, cursing under his breath.

The trickster crossed his arms over his chest. “Any other amazing ideas about how to get out of this situation? How will we next make their jobs easier? Tell me, brother. I’m quite curious.”

Thor glared at him. “Don’t start with me, Loki. We make for the roof. I can fly us safely to the ground.”

Loki squinted at him and tilted his head, not believing his ears. “Dear gods, we’re going to die. We are actually going to die here. You can barely stand up, brother. Your fever has been steadily climbing. There is no way your abilities are not hampered.”

“I don’t need to stand for very long,” Thor shot back before he was overtaken by a coughing fit. The trickster watched him, unimpressed.

“Perhaps not, but you do need strength,” Loki replied.

“I have plenty.”

Loki strode over to him and shoved him, hard, easily knocking him off balance. Out of frustration, Thor smacked the trickster’s injured leg, causing Loki to crash to the floor. Loki responded by kicking his shin as hard as he could, sending Thor sprawling. For a moment, they both remained on the floor, panting.

“Well, now that we’ve proven how utterly hopeless we are,” Loki remarked dryly, looking over at his brother, who slumped against the wall. “Perhaps we should focus on how to get out of this predicament.”

Thor rubbed his eye, looking over to the door. “They’ll be working in pairs. Chances are, they don’t see as well in the dark. There are a lot of rooms to search.”

He rubbed his chin, glancing over to Loki, who pushed himself into a sitting position. The trickster was watching him, expectantly.

“At the moment, I can see two options,” Thor started. “We stay here, defend this position until someone can reach us, or we try our luck with the roof.”

Loki stared at him. “Those are terrible options.”

Thor shrugged and spread his hands, which made Loki shake his head. The trickster massaged his brow, wondering if their night could possibly get any worse. He looked over to Thor when the god of thunder was overtaken by another coughing fit. Thor’s entire body shook with each hacking cough and Loki crawled over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He winced at the heat radiating off his brother.

“We need to get out of here,” Loki mentioned, looking to his brother. “There can’t be that many of them. If it’s possible to avoid fighting, we should do so. We head for the roof. There’s a fire escape we can climb down.”

Thor drew in a deep breath and pushed himself to his feet, glancing to the side when another loud bang echoed through the quiet. He offered Loki a hand and the trickster accepted it, allowing the god of thunder to pull him to his feet. He swayed a little, but soon found his balance.

“We must be quick and quiet,” Thor told him.

Loki limped over to the doorway, carefully pulling it open and peering out into the dark corridor. When he was certain there was no one around, he gestured for Thor to come with him. Sweeping his hands down and manifesting daggers, Loki started down the hallway in the opposite direction of the sounds of doors being kicked in.

“There’s a nurses’ station just up ahead. We must pass it and—“

Loki abruptly stopped and pressed Thor back against the wall. Thor looked at him questioningly, but then heard the crackle of a radio. The trickster put a finger to his lips and then held up his hand, signaling for Thor to stay put. Turning back to where the crackling sound had originated, Loki started creeping forward.

He soon came upon two operatives, both bearing the same patch as the gunman in the stairwell. Loki silently moved through the shadows, approaching them.

“No sign of them yet and we lost the blood trail. They’re still working on flushing ‘em out—”

Loki grabbed one man from behind and dragged his blade across his throat, shoving the body at the other operative. When the second man pushed the corpse to the side, Loki ran into him, driving his blade up through his ribs and into his heart. He yanked his knife free and let the body fall.

The trickster glanced to the side when he heard the unmistakable sizzle of electricity. _Thor,_ he thought, hoping his brother hadn’t found too much trouble. Returning his knives to where he hid them, Loki hurried back to where he’d left his brother.

He froze when he saw a beam of light sweep around that hall. The trickster pressed his back against the wall, inwardly swearing. Closing his eyes, Loki listened closely. In his mind’s eye, he conjured up an image of the hall and where he assumed the men would be. Drawing in a deep breath, Loki conjured up doubles of himself and placed them right behind the operatives.

“Looking for me?”

The sound of his voice was followed by a barrage of bullets, followed by his taunting laughter. Hearing multiple booted feet take off down the opposite direction, Loki swiftly ran into the hall. His eyes darted around as he looked for his brother.

Spotting a small movement in one of the doorways, Loki quickly but cautiously moved toward it. He found his brother huddled on the ground, his eye clenched shut.

“Thor?” Loki whispered urgently, glancing up to make sure no one was sneaking up on them. Thor opened his eye, glancing up at his brother. He swallowed and tried to push himself up, only to slump back to the ground.

“I…I just need a moment, brother. Just a moment,” he said, wrapping his arms around his midsection as he curled in on himself.

Placing a hand on Thor’s brow, Loki could feel the heat radiating off his brother. He wouldn’t last much longer in this state. Thor needed to be cooled down. Stripping off his jacket, Loki cast a quick spell. It was rudimentary, definitely not something he regularly used, but it would work in a pinch. Once he reinforced the spell, he draped the jacket over his brother.

“Thor, I’m going to make sure no one is guarding the door leading to the roof. I have put a cloaking spell on my jacket. It’s not very strong, so you must remain completely still, okay?” Loki told him. Thor didn’t respond and Loki couldn’t tell whether the god of thunder were awake or unconscious. Running a hand over his brother’s short hair, Loki rose to his feet and hurried back down the hall.

He soon came upon the nurses’ station and moved past it to the door leading to the roof. Loki’s eyes were sharp for any sign of movement. He was very aware that things had gone suspiciously quiet. Still, all the trickster could think about was how much his brother’s temperature was rising. Thor needed help.

Manifesting a dagger, Loki took a deep breath and pulled open the door. The operative who had been standing guard, spun around, but was nowhere near as quick as the trickster. Loki shoved the gun down with one hand and slashed open the man’s throat with his dagger. Blood sprayed across the trickster’s face and Loki took a step back as the body fell to the ground, blood pooling from the wound.

Loki quickly cleaned his dagger off on the man’s clothes and leaned to the side, peering up the stairs. He could see the door to the roof just up another flight, unguarded. Pulling himself up using the hand rail, Loki estimated how much time it would take to pull Thor over to this door and up the stairs. Could they make it before they were noticed?

The trickster tapped the railing and moved back to the door, pulling it open and stepping through again, determination filling his veins.

A strange heavy material was tossed over him and it was unpleasantly rough on his skin. Before Loki could react, a powerful current traveled through his body, causing him to let out a cry as he crumpled to the ground, shaking wildly.

He glared at the masked figures that surrounded him, pointing their weapons at his face. _Well this isn’t good,_ Loki thought. He threw a spell at the netting, but it fizzled out and the net constricted around him.

One figure stepped out from the group surrounding the trickster and Loki laughed when he recognized the cold face that stared down at him. Of course it was him.

“Dr. Andrews,” he greeted. “Though I do question if that’s your actual title.”

“Where’s the other alien?” Dr. Andrews asked.

“Who wants to know?” Loki asked, earning himself a kick to the gut. The trickster let out a frustrated laugh.

“I won’t ask again, monster,” Andrews said, disinterested. Loki raised his eyebrows, grinning fiercely at the man towering over him.

“Good. I grow weary of pointless questions asked by feeble-minded imbeciles.”

Andrews held up a small black stick, pressing a button. The ropes ensnaring Loki tightened, constricting him. His arms were soon pressed tightly against his chest, rendering him immobile and making it somewhat difficult to breathe. Another current traveled through the rough material and Loki bit down on the inside of his cheek, forcing himself not to make a sound.

“Last chance,” Andrews warned.

“If you really think you can torture a response out of me, let me remind you that I was once held by Thanos,” Loki muttered, slightly breathless. “This is mere child’s play.”

Andrews shrugged and pocketed the thin stick. He then drew his gun and pulled back the top, making a loud metallic clicking noise that echoed through the empty halls.

“I know you’re somewhere up here, Thor,” he yelled out, his voice echoing through the empty halls. “Come out now or I put a bullet in your brother. I know bleeding out is a painful way to go, even for aliens. That’s something you have firsthand experience with, isn’t it?”

_Don’t you dare come out, you idiot,_ Loki thought as he continued trying to break free of the netting. Every time he moved, it seemed to constrict even more, tightening around him.

“I’m going to count to three,” the man warned. “One…”

There was a scream and two agents went flying as they were hit with a strong bolt of lightning. Loki tried to lift his head, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. A couple of the men surrounding him shifted uncomfortably, pointing their guns in the direction of the bolt of lightning. Andrews just seemed irritated.

“Two…”

Thor stepped out from the hallway and Loki dropped his head to the floor, closing his eyes.

“Dammit, Thor,” he muttered.

“Let my brother go,” Thor warned, lightning wreathing around his limbs and flickering in his eye. The operative didn’t move his gun from where he pointed it at Loki.

“If you let my brother go, you can leave with your lives,” Thor offered. “No one else has to die here tonight.”

“I disagree. Your kind has invaded our planet,” Andrews replied. “We’re merely defending ourselves.”

Almost instantly, the guns that had been pointing at Loki were turned to Thor. The god of thunder narrowed his eyes at the men standing in front of him.

“Don’t touch him!” Loki snapped, thrashing against the netting as much as he could. “If you harm my brother, I will kill you! I will kill every last one of you and feed your entrails to your weeping families!”

The current increased in strength the more he struggled, but Loki didn’t care. He had to get out of this damn net. Thor was ill. He needed help. These men were going to kill his brother! Behind him, he could hear another operative radio down to the first floor and wait for a response, which didn’t seem to be coming.

Thor, meanwhile, was studying Andrews, squinting. “I…know you. You were at the UN, at the SHIELD conference.”

“Hm, you’re more resilient than expected,” Andrews replied. “With how high your fever has been recently, I would have thought recognition would be more difficult.

“Kill them both. We’ll bring the bodies back with us for further examination,” Andrews finished nonchalantly.

“Very well,” Thor said simply before diving behind the desk. A few of the operatives swiftly moved forward, their guns pointed in front of them. There was an impossibly bright flash of lightning and a loud boom that shook the entire hospital. Loki could feel the hairs on his arms stand up due to the static that suddenly filled the air. He could see the bodies of some operatives on the ground and the others were stumbling around, blinded.

Loki was startled when Thor slid over to him. “Brother, are you hurt?”

The trickster shook his head. “No. Get me out of—THOR, LOOK OUT!”

Thor had been attempting to pull Loki free and didn’t notice Andrews having gotten back to his feet. The god of thunder let out a grunt of pain when the man fired his weapon, slumping over his brother.

“No more invasions. No more of your kind. You’re not welcome on our planet,” Andrews snarled. Using his unwounded arm, Thor pushed himself back up and glared at the man.

“New Asgard is our home and you are the one who is no longer welcomed here,” he replied, frighteningly calm. Lightning was starting to wreathe around his limbs again and he kept one hand on his brother, an old protective gesture.

Suddenly a red barrier swept past Thor and Loki, shielding them from harm. Andrews’ brow creased, confused, before he went sailing down the hall.

“Hey boys. Mind if a couple of gals crash your little party?”

Relief crashed over Loki when he heard Brunnhilde’s snarky voice. The Valkyrie and Wanda appeared side-by-side. Wanda’s eyes were glowing red and red mist swirled around her hands. Brunnhilde’s sword was already covered in blood. The two women strode confidently into the hall as though they were strolling through the park.

The minute the operatives rushed them, Brunnhilde was moving, chopping off one man’s arm while relieving another of his head. Wanda sent two sailing back into the wall, which they hit with a gruesome crunching noise.

“Loki?”

Loki groaned in relief as the netting was finally removed from him, allowing him free movement again. Some of his muscles still twitched and spasmed. Thor carefully helped him into a sitting position, leaning him against the nearest wall. The trickster closed his eyes and let out a slow breath.

“Are you all right?” Thor asked, looking the trickster over. Loki nodded once, grasping one wrist and flexing his fingers.

“You?” he asked. Thor opened his mouth to answer when suddenly his face creased in pain and he slumped over, curling in on himself.

“Thor,” Loki cried in alarm as he grabbed his brother, pulling him into his arms. “Thor, what’s wrong?”

The trickster could feel warm blood spreading on the fabric on his arm from the wound in Thor’s shoulder where Andrews’ bullet had pierced him.

“It’s hot,” Thor mumbled, trying to grasp Loki’s arm. “It’s so hot. It’s too hot. Feels like…I’m on fire. Loki, what…what’s happening?”

“Shh, it’s all right, brother. Everything’s all right,” Loki whispered as he lowered the temperature of his free hand, placing it gently on Thor’s brow. “Stay with me, Thor.”

The god of thunder sighed and leaned toward the frigid touch. Loki could feel the fever getting worse. It was climbing again at a steady rate. Gritting his teeth, the trickster looked up to where the Valkyrie and Wanda were taking care of the last few operatives.

Thor suddenly grasped his shirt, drawing the trickster’s attention back to him.

“Loki, you…you wish to avenge Mother. You can,” Thor muttered, deliriously. “You…you have to…have to help me. Jane is afflicted with Aether. We must go…go to Svartalfheim. And then you shall be returned to your cell.”

The words felt like a punch to the chest. There was such determination in Thor’s gaze and in his voice, weak though it was. The trickster held him a little closer and nodded.

“Okay, brother. I shall take you through the secret passageways,” Loki promised.

“Do…do…not fight,” Thor told him, closing his eye. “Just…protect Jane.”

“I promise, Thor, I shall do as you ask,” Loki assured him, glancing up when the Valkyrie finished off the last operative. Wanda glanced at her and then moved over to the Odinsons.

“Sorry for the delay in rescue,” Brunnhilde said. “We needed to grab Wanda and the gladiators. Heimdall, Sif, and the others are taking care of the lower floors. Wanda and I decided to start up top.”

The Valkyrie studied Thor. “How’s he holding up?”

“We need to get his temperature down, right now,” Loki told them, grimacing at the ache that flared up in his leg. “The fever is rising again and he was wounded during the fight. Have you found anything about what might be afflicting him?”

Brunnhilde nodded. “We’ll talk once he’s being cooled down. Come on, I’ll help you with him.”

“I’ll make sure the others are doing okay on the lower floors,” Wanda offered before taking off, heading for the stairs.

Brunnhilde exchanged a look with Loki. He nodded and the two of them lifted Thor off the ground, moving for one of the empty rooms.

_*_

It didn’t take long to retake the hospital. The gladiators were fierce fighters, as were Sif and Heimdall. The gatekeeper had retaken the first floor almost entirely by himself. The operatives were no match for the ancient watcher. By the time the fight was over, no Earth First operative was left standing.

Soon, the fighters were helping the few healers still in town clean up the mess left by the battle. Korg was a surprisingly adept sweeper and his overall cheery demeanor kept spirits up. The hospital was very short-staffed now that the Earth First operatives had been dealt with. Thankfully, there weren’t over many patients and the rest of the healers would return in a couple days.

Loki stood in front of a window, his fist held under his chin. He was massaging his fingers with his thumb, his green eyes fixed on his brother. After they had taken care of his wound, Thor had been submerged in a tub of ice in the clean, brightly lit room. The cooling packs hadn’t had any effect on his rising temperature and the ice seemed to be doing little more.

Heimdall and Brunnhilde stood on either side of him, also watching Thor.

“It seems this virus is mimicking one of the last plagues experienced in Asgard. It was called the Burning and it brought on a fever that would gradually rise until the final stage of the illness when it would rapidly rise. The afflicted would basically boil alive, for lack of a better term. But…not before they forgot almost everyone in their lives: friends, family, loved ones,” Brunnhilde explained. “Some forgot everything, even their own names.”

Loki cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back. He vaguely remembered reading some accounts of the devastating illness during his history lessons. It was the only sickness that ever really frightened him. The idea of being unable to trust one’s own mind was horrifying to the trickster. Loki could remember crying in Frigga’s lap and her comforting him, reassuring him that he would never encounter such a sickness.

“It was the worst plague experienced in Asgard,” Heimdall added. “By the time it was over, we had lost a third of our population.”

“Surely there must have been some survivors,” Loki said.

“I’m afraid I do not remember if there were.”

“What?”

“It was very long ago and some of my knowledge of our past was lost after Thanos’ attack,” the watcher explained apologetically. Loki was quiet for a while, dread starting to creep into his mind once again.

“How long?” Loki asked quietly. Brunnhilde and Heimdall exchanged a look. The Valkyrie then looked back to the trickster.

“What little information we have states that no one lasted more than seven days,” she told him.

“I see,” Loki said. He stood for a moment more, looking through the window. Then he turned and walked over to the door leading to the tub room. Opening it, the trickster stepped inside the brightly lit area, nodding in greeting to the nurse on duty. He moved over to the tub Thor was in, covered in ice, and sat beside it, resting his arm on the edge.

Thor was lying with his head resting on a towel. His face was flushed with fever and his eye was closed. When Loki sat beside the tub, the god of thunder’s eyelid fluttered and he slowly opened his eye, looking over at the trickster.

“L-Loki?”

“I’m here, Thor,” the trickster replied. Tears glistened in Thor’s eye.

“Y-your face, it fades. My vision is darkening,” he told Loki. “I-I do not wish to…forget you.”

Loki smiled gently. “Then it’s a good thing I’m unforgettable.”

A sad grin briefly danced across Thor’s lips and he closed his eye, going quiet again. Noticing a cold pack on the side of the tub, Loki picked it up and froze it, using his Jotun abilities. He then carefully placed it across Thor’s brow. The god of thunder’s eye opened again and he stared at Loki as though he were surprised to see him.

“You look scared, brother,” Thor whispered. His voice was raspy and he winced as if speaking caused him pain.

“Never,” Loki replied with a grin. Thor swallowed and shut his eye again.

“You do not have to be afraid, Loki. I shall protect you from whatever threatens you,” Thor told him sleepily. Loki reached out and ran his fingers over his brother’s short hair.

“I know,” he said softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra long chapter for you lovely readers :) <3
> 
> I realize I'm posting a day early. I just got the schedule for my new job and my hours are late (as in I'm going to be working during the time I normally post). So on Friday, I'll be posting at the time I used to post (which was in the morning for me).
> 
> Oh yeah, reminder: **Friday's chapter comes with a tissue warning**
> 
> Special thank you for the comments I've been receiving. The holidays tend to be rough for me and my stress levels are just all over the place at the moment for a variety of reasons. Reading your words is really a bright spot in my day. Thank you <3
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are welcomed and appreciated. I do love chatting with you lot :) <3
> 
> Next chapter goes up Friday.
> 
> See everyone there!


	9. Chapter 9

**_Day Six_ **

Banner walked into the hospital and his eyes widened as he stared at the scene that greeted him. There were a number of piles of broken glass and debris. Many of the windows were in the process of being replaced. Electricians were repairing the light fixtures. The doctor pushed his glasses up on his nose, frowning.

“What the hell?” he muttered to himself.

“Dr. Banner?”

Banner turned when he heard the Valkyrie’s voice. She was dressed in her everyday attire and moving down the hall toward him.

“Brunnhilde, what happened?” he asked, adjusting the strap on his shoulder.

“Earth First,” she replied, making a face of disgust. “They sent a squad to assassinate Thor and Loki. It did not go well for them.”

Banner whistled. “Can’t leave you guys alone for even a few days, can I?”

Brunnhilde laughed softly. “They infiltrated the hospital and so we’re short-staffed again. Needless to say, we’re glad to have you back.”

“It’s good to be home,” Banner said as they started walking for the elevators. “Have you figured out what illness the virus is mimicking in Thor?”

Brunnhilde nodded and pressed the button to call for the elevator. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the means to treat it. Is it possible the antidote will work on its own?”

Banner scratched the back of his head. “I don’t know. We treated the affliction first and then administered the antidote. It’s possible it could work on its own. How’s Thor holding up?”

Brunnhilde kicked at the ground when they stepped inside the elevator. “Not good. His fever is rising and it shows no signs of breaking. He has trouble recognizing people and he still has trouble with years. His memory is bouncing all over the place. The ice baths and cooling packs don’t seem to be working anymore.”

“I brought a few doses of the antidote,” Banner told her. “It seemed wise to have on hand, no matter what happens.”

Brunnhilde nodded and they stepped out of the elevator when it reached the second floor. Banner followed the Valkyrie, noticing that they had moved Thor to a different room. There were also guards in the hall. Brunnhilde reached an open door and gestured in.

Loki, who was sitting at his brother’s bedside, rose to his feet when Banner entered the room. The doctor smiled at him in greeting and put the pack he was holding over one shoulder down on the empty table.

“Hey, Loki. How are you?”

“Is that the antidote?” Loki asked. Banner opened the pack and pulled out an ampoule.

“It is,” he answered calmly. He moved over to the cabinet in the room, pulling out a box of syringes. Loki watched his every move, trying not to fidget. Banner approached Thor’s bed, gently lifting one the tubes attached to the god of thunder’s arm. The god of thunder blinked sluggishly, looking up at the doctor. He frowned and squinted.

“Aren’t you normally…bigger? And greener?” Thor asked and Banner laughed at the question.

“Sometimes,” he replied. “Mostly I just look like this.”

“Oh,” Thor whispered and closed his eye again. Loki watched the man hiding monster as he administered the antidote to Thor.

“We should start seeing improvements within the hour,” Banner told Loki, offering the trickster a small grin. Loki looked back to his brother, sitting down again. The doctor moved to the doorway where Brunnhilde was standing.

“I’m going to get something to eat and then do my rounds,” Banner told her, glancing over his shoulder at the Odinsons. “I’ll be back later this afternoon to check up on him.”

The Valkyrie nodded and watched him leave. She turned her dark eyes back to the Odinsons.

“Do you need anything, Loki?” she asked. The trickster shook his head. He leaned forward and studied his brother’s face, watching for any signs of improvement.

_*_

The afternoon crawled by slowly, soon turning into night. Banner would regularly check for improvements, his expression always reflecting concern. The doctor returned when the sun was setting and checked the god of thunder’s vitals. The fever had climbed even more and showed no signs of breaking.

“Give him another dosage,” Loki immediately ordered.

“I don’t think that will work,” Banner replied. “It was a longshot, Loki. We need to break his fever. Right now, it’s too high. It’s burning through the medicine.”

The trickster growled in frustration and looked back to his brother. They had put cold packs on him again, but it wasn’t helping. Nothing was working.

The night continued on quietly. Loki sat at his brother’s bedside, his hands clasped in front of him and he tapped his thumbs against his lips. He clicked his teeth together, his mind racing. Brunnhilde and he had bounced ideas off each other most of the day, hoping to think of some remedy. Alas, they had both drawn a blank. But there had to be some solution. There was something he hadn’t thought of yet. There had to be.

Glancing toward the window, Loki felt his heart clench with fear. It was the middle of the night, almost the seventh day. The seventh day of this sickness, the day most of the afflicted perished. Perhaps Thor’s last day. _No, Thor’s too strong to succumb to this. He can hold on a few more days. We still have time,_ Loki thought.

“Who are you?”

Loki looked over to his brother when he heard the rasping question. Thor was staring at him with his fever glazed eye, no recognition apparent in his expression.

“Thor, it’s me. Your brother,” Loki replied. Thor sniffled and shook his head.

“You cannot be him. The mad titan murdered Loki,” he whispered, drawing in a shaky breath and brushing away his tears with one hand. “I couldn’t protect him. I tried, I tried so hard, but I was too weak and I failed. Loki died saving me.”

The trickster opened his mouth to respond when Thor looked back to him, smiling shakily.

“Kind stranger, could I perhaps bother you for a glass of water? I am very thirsty,” the god of thunder requested politely. Loki nodded, rising from his chair and moving over to where there was a pitcher of water and some cups. He poured some water for his brother and then returned to the bedside, adjusting the bed so that Thor was in a sitting position and sat beside him. He helped his brother hold onto the glass. Thor eagerly drained the cup and then slumped back, watching as Loki placed the cup on the table near the bed.

“Do you think Loki knew?” Thor asked, drawing the trickster’s attention again.

“Knew what?” Loki asked.

“Do you think my brother knew how much I loved him?” Thor clarified, tears streaming down his face as he looked up at Loki with both hope and despair. “I don’t think I was as good a brother as I could have been. I should have told him more often when he was alive, but now it’s too late and I shall never have the chance. What if he died not knowing?”

Loki almost choked on the lump that rose in his throat and had to look away for a moment to gather himself. He took a few deep breaths, his mind switching gears as he tried to come up with a reassuring answer. He knew how to respond, but it was how to make Thor believe him in the state he was in.

“He knew,” Loki whispered, looking back to his brother with a watery smile. “He always knew. Even when he was afflicted with the tesseract’s call, some small part of him always knew how much you loved him, Thor. Even when his world was shattered, somehow he never doubted that love. It was that simple truth that helped him survive.”

The god of thunder stared at him, bewildered. “How do you know? Did you know Loki?”

“Briefly. I was captured the same as he, held on Titan for a time, a hostage of Thanos. Loki was always defiant and he refused to let them break your bond. Even though he was angry with you, he refused to disown you, refused to say you weren’t his brother. It angered the titan and his followers, but no matter how much he was punished, no matter how much they beat and tortured him, Loki would not yield to them. Eventually, they changed tactics, exploiting his rage and hurt, enhancing his envy and jealousy. They could only make him angry at you and figured that would suffice. But they could never break his love for you. Even when they broke him, broke his mind, somewhere deep down, Loki always knew how much you loved him.”

Thor’s expression became achingly hopeful. “Really?”

Loki could feel tears welling up in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks, and he nodded. “Really. Your brother knows how much you love him, Thor. He loves you as well, even if he doesn’t often say it.”

The god of thunder was quiet for a long while and Loki sat beside him, holding him tightly and comforting him. It was frightening that Thor didn’t recognize him, but Loki pushed it to the back of his mind.

“My time is short, I think. I always thought when I departed for Valhalla, I would be surrounded by friends and family or out on the battlefield fighting alongside my allies. I never thought I would outlive them all. There is no one left. I am alone. I do not fear death, but…I do not wish to die alone,” Thor whispered, opening his eye and looking back to Loki. “Will you stay with me? Please?”

“Thor, you’re not going to,” Loki stopped when he saw the hope glistening in his brother’s eye, mingled with a hint of fear. The trickster nodded. “Yes. I shall stay.”

Thor smiled shakily and relaxed again, leaning against Loki while the trickster continued running his fingers over his brother’s short hair.

“Thank you,” Thor whispered gratefully.

Loki could feel his heart breaking, even as he continued racking his brain for something, anything, to help him save his brother. The trickster had always been able to protect Thor, to save him, even when it should have been impossible to do so. He had faced a damn galaxy destroying titan! This couldn’t be the time Loki failed. It couldn’t be. He gently pressed a kiss to Thor’s head, his breath catching in his throat.

“Do you think the gods will be kind and let me see my brother in the afterlife? Do you think they will reunite us?”

Loki swallowed hard. “Thor, please do not talk like that. Your brother is not dead. He shall return, like always.”

“But if not, do you think Loki will be waiting for me in Valhalla? I cannot bear the thought of an eternity without my brother,” Thor asked insistently, starting to become agitated. Loki closed his eyes briefly and nodded, hugging the god of thunder a little tighter.

“Yes. No matter where you go, your brother will travel with you,” Loki finally reassured him. “Your paths are bound together, as they always have been.”

“I loved my brother very much,” Thor continued. “I-I should have told him how proud I was of him, how proud I was to be his brother. Loki was so brave. He was braver than anyone realized, braver than even he realized. His actions saved our people, saved my own life. And he was so clever. He was a hero. No matter what his past mistakes, Loki was a hero and I shall fight anyone who suggests otherwise."

Loki couldn’t help but laugh softly at that. It was just so quintessentially his brother. Thor sniffled again, his body starting to tremble.

“Gods I miss him,” he said, tears streaming down his face as he looked up to Loki. “I will not rest until I’ve avenged him, until Thanos feels every hurt he ever inflicted on my brother and then some, but I do not know what I shall do after that. If I survive the battle.”

“You shall go on and be the leader you are destined to be,” Loki told him.

“But that was meant to happen with my brother at my side. I do not wish to lead without him,” Thor cried, swiping at his eye. “Norns, I hope he found mother. I hope they watch over each other until I am able to join them. Perhaps they are playing the stone game as they wait.”

The trickster frowned and sat up, tilting his head. “The stone game?”

Thor nodded, sniffling. “When Loki was very young, back when mother first started sharing her magic with him, they had a game they used to play with various crystals, gems, and stones. I don’t know what they called it, so I just called it the stone game. She wanted him to learn some healing, but Loki was always rather stubborn and easily bored. So, mother would bring out a collection of old stones and gems. They would sort through them and she would challenge Loki to find and name all the ones with healing properties. My brother was rather good at it. I always struggled to differentiate healing crystals from regular ones, but Loki learned that skill almost immediately.”

The trickster’s eyes widened significantly as the memory of the game came back to him. It had been ages since he’d played it and had all but forgotten about it. Frigga had a small collection of rare stones and gems that she kept in a box in her room.

_“My son, what did you take from Asgard?”_

Frigga asked him that in a dream. He **_had_** taken something, something to remind him of his mother. Of better days, before everything had spiraled completely out of control. Norns! That was it! A smile spread across Loki’s face as hope bloomed in his chest. He glanced over at his brother, who had lost consciousness again.

“Oh did the gods bless you, Thor, when they made me your brother. I’m so brilliant, I even surprise myself at times!” Loki stated excitedly, gently squeezing his brother’s hand and kissing his unnaturally warm temple. “Rest now. I shall return shortly and all will be well.”

His heart clenched in fear when he noticed Thor’s nose was bleeding. He’d been having random nose bleeds and the healers were concerned. His fever was reaching a dangerous level again and his symptoms were getting worse. He didn’t have much time left.

Loki gracefully stood from the bed and moved to the door, where Brunnhilde was standing guard. She glanced over at him as he stepped out of the room.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“I need to run home briefly,” Loki told her. “Stay with him, please.”

“Loki, wait,” Brunnhilde said, reaching out and grasping the trickster’s arm. “Thor isn’t going to last much longer. He’s more at ease when you’re around. Please don’t leave him. I know it’s hard, but you need to do this for him and for yourself.”

Loki felt irritation flare up in him. “I know he doesn’t have much time, but I may have a solution to what ails him. Let me run home and retrieve it. This may be our last chance to save my brother.”

The Valkyrie studied him for a moment, looked inside the room to where Thor lay, and then looked back to Loki, nodding once. The trickster dashed for the elevators, hoping he had enough time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had the actual week from hell, but it's almost worth it to post this chapter. I'm really proud of the dialogue between Thor and Loki (it flowed so nicely when I wrote it and it was rather easy to polish).
> 
> Hopefully I was at least able to bring some...uhhhh, enjoyment to you lovely readers. Is enjoyment the right word for this chapter? I feel like it might not be...
> 
> Just two chapters left. The next chapter also has a tissue warning, but I don't think it's as much of a tear-jerker as this one was (though that's just my opinion).
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated. I absolutely love chatting with you lot (you're truly the bright spot in my day and right now, I could _really_ use some brightness) :) <3
> 
> Next chapter goes up Monday.
> 
> See everybody then!


	10. Chapter 10

**_Day Seven_ **

Loki was surprised to find Wanda in his house when he opened the front door, almost as surprised as she was to see him. She was lying on the couch with a book, the small black cat curled up on her legs. After successfully defending the hospital, Wanda had helped with the cleanup and then returned to the Odinsons’ house. She often needed a short period to recharge her powers and Loki had noticed she preferred to be in quieter environments during such times.

“Loki? Is Thor okay?” she asked as she pushed herself up on one elbow. The black cat instantly jumped off the couch and ran over to Loki, rubbing against his legs.

“His condition is deteriorating, but I believe I have something that will help him,” Loki explained as he swiftly moved over to the room he shared with his brother. He noticed the tortoiseshell cat was curled up in a ball on Thor’s bed. She lifted her head when the trickster entered. She soon lowered her head, shifting a bit, and closed her eyes again.

Hurrying over to the closet, Loki slid open the door and started rummaging around the tidy space. It was all clothes and a fair amount of weapons. _Dammit, I know I put it in here,_ the trickster thought as he reached up to the shelves where there were some boxes. Pulling one down, he pulled off the top only to find a number of sketchpads and drawing supplies. Shoving it off to the side, Loki retrieved another one and repeated the action. For almost fifteen minutes, he pulled down boxes and searched inside them, only to come up empty. When he pulled down the last box and took off the top, only to find sewing and mending supplies, Loki threw it to the side with a frustrated growl.

Stepping over the mess he’d made, the trickster moved into the room and got on his hands and knees, looking under Thor’s bed. Nothing but swords and other weapons. Crawling over to his own bed, Loki looked under it, but found only books.

Rising to his feet, Loki put his hands on his hips and tapped one finger on his hip, thinking. Thor sometimes rearranged and reorganized things when coming down from an anxiety attack. He claimed it helped him settle down. It was occasionally infuriating, because Loki was very particular about where certain things should be kept, but more often than not the trickster didn’t care. If it helped his brother calm down, Loki was more than willing to let him rearrange whatever he wanted.

Furrowing his brow, Loki moved over to the doorway of the bedroom, his eyes roaming around the space.

“What are you looking for?” Wanda asked. “Maybe I can help.”

Loki opened his mouth to answer when his bright green eyes fell on the hall closet. He started moving across the space, swearing when he nearly tripped over the small black cat, who let out a screech and bolted away. Quickly resuming his purposeful stride, he reached the closet and threw open the door. Switching on the light, Loki looked around at the full shelves.

The trickster’s eyes roamed over the various boxes. _It has to be in here somewhere,_ he thought. Reaching out with his seidr, he felt around for anything containing magic. Unfortunately, there were a few objects possessing magic in the closet. Thor had apparently stuffed most of the trickster’s odds and ends in this space.

Letting out a huff of frustration, Loki started moving boxes around, searching. He finally spotted a glint of gold and silver in one corner, hidden by a couple boxes. The trickster used telekinesis to move the other boxes out of the way and reached for the box, carefully removing it. Loki ran his hand over it, reverently, a small smile dancing over his lips. It was so uniquely Frigga, both in appearance and feel. _Thank you, mother,_ he thought as he tucked the box away in a small pocket of reality.

“What was that?” Wanda asked as she approached him.

“Hope,” Loki answered, almost as though to himself. He smiled confidently as he turned his attention to the witch. “When my brother is feeling better, I shall show you the contents of this box and teach you the game I used to play with my mother, if you like.”

Wanda smiled and nodded. “Give Thor my best.”

_*_

When Loki returned to the hospital, he instantly felt uneasy. Something had happened. Hurrying for the stairs, the trickster ran up them two at a time and when he reached the second floor, he was greeted by a flurry of activity. Nurses were rushing around and the trickster could hear calls for more help. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of Loki’s stomach as he ran for his brother’s room.

There were a number of nurses in Thor’s room as well as Banner. Brunnhilde was standing off to the side and she glanced over at Loki when he entered, eyes wide. The Valkyrie approached and put a hand on Loki’s chest.

“Loki, wait a minute,” she said and he glared at her.

“The Hel I will. What happened?”

“Thor’s fever is rising again and they’re trying to bring it down, but it’s not looking good. His heart is starting to weaken,” she explained. “Loki, this is the last stage of the illness. It’s…it’s not going to be pleasant. You should sit with him now, while you still have the chance.”

Loki pulled the box out of its hidden pocket. “My brother isn’t going to die today.”

The trickster strode into the room and glanced over to the activity surrounding Thor. He could see his brother’s pale face. Thor was alarmingly still. Loki prayed that he wasn’t too late.

The trickster put the box on a table, glancing toward Banner when he approached. The Valkyrie also moved closer to peer at what the trickster had brought.

“Thor reminded me of a game mother and I used to play. Our mother had a collection of precious stones and gems, including a number of ancient healing crystals,” Loki explained. “She kept them in this box, which is one of the few items I managed to store away and bring to Midgard. I never opened it because I didn’t get the key for the lock and didn’t want to break it.”

Loki manifested a dagger and adjusted his hold on it, striking the small lock with the hilt of the weapon. It only took a few strikes before he managed to break the lock.

“However, desperate times call for desperate measures,” he muttered as he tucked the dagger away again. He pulled off the remains of the lock and tossed it away. Throwing open the top of the box, Loki stared at the multitude of different rocks and gems inside.

“Whatever you’re going to do, Loki, do it fast. The longer Thor’s temperature remains as high as it is, the less likely we’ll be able to pull him back,” Banner told him and Loki waved his hand dismissively. His brows knitted together as he carefully poured the stones out onto the table, running a palm over them. He could feel his magic tingle over most of them.

“There was a healing crystal known as Freya’s Tears. It was frequently found in the coldest depths of caves,” Loki muttered as he gently moved some rocks around. “It resembled ice. When it’s crushed and mixed with Jotun frost in water, it creates a potent mixture that’s capable of breaking any fever.”

“As I’ve said before, sometimes it pays to have a Jotun around,” Brunnhilde said with a hopeful grin. Loki nodded, distracted. He knew the crystal was in there somewhere. It had been one of Frigga’s favorites and Loki’s as well.

“That one kind of looks like ice…if you squint,” Banner mentioned but Loki shook his head.

“That’s Tyr’s Eye, similar to your world’s diamonds. Nice to look at, absolutely no healing properties. It’s aesthetically pleasing, but it’s a useless gem.”

“What about that turquoise one? I remember Freya’s Tears sometimes had a blueish hue,” Brunnhilde said and Loki picked it up, examining it for a moment. Then he shook his head.

“No, that’s Baldur’s Glass, similar to Midgardian aquamarines. It does have healing properties, but seeing as how Thor doesn’t have irritated skin, it wouldn’t be helpful,” Loki explained. He heard Thor moan in pain and briefly glanced over at him before turning his eyes back to the stones on the table. He grabbed another bluish-white crystal but dropped it with a growl of frustration.

“That dark blue one is beautiful,” Banner mentioned.

“It’s a fairly potent healing crystal, but only for sealing open wounds,” Loki explained. His eyes were drawn to a faint glowing beneath some dull colored stones. He immediately pushed the stones away, grabbing the gem beneath them. Reaching out with his seidr, Loki smiled a little when he felt a familiar aura.

The gem glistened beautifully in the light from the newly risen sun and its clear surface resembled ice. It was fairly plain in appearance, but Loki could feel the power contained within its layers.

“Brunnhilde, could you please bring me a glass of water?” Loki requested as he held the stone in his hand. He rubbed it between his palms, bringing it up to his mouth and blowing softly on it. When Brunnhilde brought over the glass, Loki whispered some ancient words under his breath and the crystal glowed even brighter as light emanated from within it. Drawing in a deep breath, Loki crushed the gem between his palms, reducing it to powder and then holding it over the glass of water so the small particles fell into it. Grabbing the straw Brunnhilde brought, Loki stirred the concoction.

Bringing it up to his face, Loki briefly took on his Jotun form and blew on the surface of the water. He placed it on the table and formed some ice with his hand, dropping that into the now-glowing liquid. Closing his eyes and shaking his head, Loki took on his normal Aesir appearance again. Giving the mixture one last stir, Loki tapped the straw on the side and moved over to his brother’s bed.

There was a thin sheen of sweat coating Thor’s pale face and he was disturbingly still in the large bed. His breathing sounded alarmingly labored. Loki handed the cup to Brunnhilde and placed a hand on Thor’s shoulder, squeezing gently.

“Thor,” he called and Thor’s eye slowly opened, fixing on Loki. “Brother, I need you to sit up so you can take some medicine.”

Thor’s face scrunched up and he shook his head. “No more. Please, let me go. I wish to be at peace.”

His voice was so soft and weak that the trickster barely heard him. Loki rolled his eyes and sat beside his brother. He carefully maneuvered Thor up into a sitting position, leaning the god of thunder against him.

“If you honestly think I’m going to let you die, you truly are the fool I always thought you were,” Loki grumbled.

“It’s too late. My time has come at last,” Thor replied, a faint hopeful smile on his face. “I am going to rejoin my family in Valhalla. I am going to see my brother again.”

“Well, that’s an overall horrible plan. Especially considering I’m not in Valhalla,” Loki replied irritably. “I’m right here and I want you to take some damn medicine.”

“You’re not him. You cannot be. Loki is dead,” Thor muttered. Loki massaged the bridge of his nose. Norns, his brother was so infuriatingly stubborn at times.

“Thor, look at me,” Loki ordered. The god of thunder looked up at him and Loki allowed his Aesir appearance to be replaced by his Jotun one. Thor’s eye widened in surprise and he hesitantly reached up with one shaking hand, carefully touching Loki’s face. His fingers gently roamed over the ridges in Loki’s countenance, tracing them. The god of thunder choked on a sob as he continued looking at his brother. Loki smiled slightly, hiding his concern about the unnatural heat he felt radiating off the golden-haired god.

“Loki? Is…is it really you?” Thor whispered as though he couldn’t believe his eye, resting his hand on the side of Loki’s neck. “Have the gods granted me this final mercy? Are you here to lead me to Valhalla?”

Loki shook his head, reaching up and placing his hand over Thor’s. “No, brother. I’m here to heal you. I am no specter. I’m just as alive as you are, more so at the moment.”

Thor sobbed. “I’m sorry, brother. I’m so sorry I could not protect you. I’m sorry Thanos hurt you so. I should have been able to keep you safe and I failed. I’m sorry, Loki.”

The trickster shushed him, allowing his Aesir appearance to return. “Thor, sometimes it’s my job to protect you. I faced the mad titan to help you, so you could return and save this planet, which you did. You did not fail me. You defeated Thanos, just like I knew you would. You provided me a safe place to return to, a home, at great personal cost to yourself. Please, brother, you are still needed. This planet needs you. _I_ need you here, alive.”

Thor sniffled. “I do not know how.”

Loki gestured for the Valkyrie to hand him the cup and he showed it to Thor. “I need you to drink this, all of it. Can you do that?”

Thor looked up into Loki’s face and nodded. Loki gently raised the cup to his lips, slowly tipping it up, careful not to tip it too fast. Thor obediently drank the liquid. Loki glanced to the side when Banner left the room, probably to get the antidote to the virus that was at the root of the odd symptoms. Once Thor finished the water, he coughed a little. Loki set the cup off to the side and moved to get up, stopped only Thor reaching out and latching onto the trickster’s wrist.

“Loki, please stay here. Please do not go,” he pleaded, his normally strong voice barely more than a whisper. He gently squeezed Loki’s wrist and the trickster realized he was reassuring himself that his brother was truly there.

Loki nodded. “Be at ease, brother. I am not going anywhere.”

Thor looked a little less anxious and slumped against his brother. Loki leaned back slightly, running his fingers over Thor’s short hair. He could feel his brother’s temperature was still dangerously high and it worried him. Thor’s breathing sounded wet and raspy, not healthy at all. Loki vowed that if he ever found the parties responsible for this attempt on his brother’s life, they would meet the most gruesome and painful ends imaginable.

The trickster glanced up when Banner re-entered the room, holding a syringe of something. He moved over to the IV that was attached to Thor.

“I missed you, brother,” Thor whispered, nestling his head against Loki’s chest, his ear resting above the trickster’s heart.

“I know, Thor. I missed you as well,” Loki replied, tightening his grip slightly. He watched as Banner stuck the needle in the IV, pressing down on the plunger. Thor sighed softly and closed his eye, going slack in his brother’s arms.

“This stuff packs a powerful punch,” Banner explained, carefully withdrawing the syringe and putting the plastic cap back on the needle. “It works pretty fast. He should start showing signs of improvement soon, probably within the hour.”

Loki carefully shifted out from behind his brother, gently laying Thor on the mattress. The god of thunder looked so peaceful. The trickster folded his arms on the bed, dropped his head on them, and let out a steadying breath. It was only now, now that they had done everything they possibly could, that Loki felt all the tension he’d been carrying. His body ached and he could feel his eyes well up. He was exhausted and spent.

The trickster could hear people slowly file out of the room, but he didn’t lift his head. All Loki wanted to do was sleep. He had been running on pure adrenaline and now he was crashing. He heard Banner tell him where the call button was in case anything should change and Loki barely managed to wave of acknowledgment. He closed his eyes and buried his face even deeper into his arms.

“Come back, brother,” the trickster whispered to the god of thunder before allowing sleep to claim him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing Loki using his magic. I have so many headcanons about his lessons with Frigga (I feel like she probably had to be his main teacher in all subjects, because Loki was probably a little sh*t who drove Asgardian instructors up the wall XD).
> 
> Also, cats are always underfoot. This is a fact (cat owners can attest to it).
> 
> I cannot believe the next chapter is the last one :( I'm not sure when I'll post again (I've got a one-shot that's mostly done and an outline for another multi-chap, but my schedule is also pretty jam packed and I've always got about a million and one deadlines to meet).
> 
> Thank you so much for all your kind and considerate comments on the previous chapter. They helped make a rough week somewhat more bearable. I could not be grateful to all of you <3
> 
> As always, comments and kudos welcomed and appreciated. I do love chatting with you lot :) <3
> 
> Next chapter goes up Wednesday.
> 
> See all of you then!


	11. Chapter 11

Thor was curled up tightly, clutching his temples, tormented by pain. His eye was clenched tightly shut and he had no idea where he was or even how long he’d been there. Wherever he was, it felt…pleasant. There was a cool breeze around him and the air smelled faintly of wildflowers. Even though he was in pain, Thor felt a strange sense of inner peace. He desired to stay in the strange place, wherever he was.

“Go back.”

There was a soft voice in the breeze, feminine and oh so familiar. Thor swallowed and attempted to open his eye, only to find he could not.

“You must go back, my son. It is not yet your time.”

Thor slowly let out his breath and carefully allowed his eye to open. He stared at the vast empty field in front of him. Everything was dull, yet peaceful. Thor slowly eased himself up to a sitting position.

“You are still needed. Your people still need you, as does your brother.”

Deciding to test his footing, Thor carefully put his hands on the ground and straightened up so that he was standing. He stumbled at first, putting one hand on the ground to catch himself, and then tried again. This time, he managed to find his balance.

The god of thunder looked around at the strange space. It felt…wrong. He was very warm, uncomfortably so, and he could feel himself sweating. He coughed and it felt like fire ignited in his chest.

His memories became jumbled again and Thor tried to remember where he was and what he’d been trying to do. Thinking took an absurd amount of effort and made his head start to pound. There were flashes of faces and scenes, some nightmarish, that filled his mind. The god of thunder didn’t know how to get out of this place, if he could get out.

It was getting even warmer and Thor could feel sweat coating his body. Breathing became even more difficult in the suffocating heat.

“Do not give up, my son. You must remember.”

Thor suddenly was overcome with the overwhelming urge to lie back down again. It would be so easy to do so. Part of him did want to fight, but…he was so tired. Thor sat down again, exhaling. This place was pleasant, quiet. Perhaps he could just take a short nap.

“Well this is familiar.”

Thor jumped, twisting to stare wide-eyed at the trickster who stood a few feet behind him, smirking. Loki had his hands in his pockets and was looking around at the strange place.

“This is where we first met our sister, is it not?” Loki continued, clicking his tongue and shaking his head. “Even in your mind, you’re so utterly predictable, Thor.”

Thor turned his gaze into the distance. “This place…this is where we last spoke with Father.”

The god of thunder looked down at himself, noticing he was covered in sweat and grime. He felt exhausted and beaten, which he was sure was reflected in his appearance. Looking up, he studied Loki.

The trickster was wearing pristine clothing, his normal dark suit, and he stood unscathed. He grinned as he watched his brother, who cautiously got to his feet. Loki took a few steps forward and suddenly, Thor ran straight at him, crashing into the trickster and nearly knocking him down. Loki stumbled back a few steps and the only thing that kept him on his feet was Thor’s strong arms wrapped around him in a crushing embrace. He felt the god of thunder bury his face in the trickster’s dark locks, releasing a shuddering breath. Loki turned his eyes up toward the sky and gently patted his brother’s shoulder.

“What am I going to do with you, Thor?” Loki asked with fond exasperation.

“You’re…you’re here,” Thor whispered. “Loki, everything is jumbled and out of order. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I thought you were dead.”

Loki hesitantly wrapped his arms around the god of thunder. “I know, brother. I fear it’s due to a fever. You’re very sick, in a hospital on Midgard, our home. I think I’m here to bring you back.”

“I heard mother, earlier,” Thor told him. “She told me to go back. But…I do not know if I wish to.”

“What?” Loki asked, concerned. He pulled back a little to look at his brother. Thor sniffled and wiped away his tears.

“If I go back, what if you’re not there? What if everything is lost? What if I can’t make it back?” he looked around at the field. “It’s so peaceful here. And quiet.”

Loki reached forward and tightly gripped his shoulder. “Brother, do you not think it would get rather boring in this dreadfully dull place? I can assure you that I am waiting for you. All is not lost, the Asgardians still live and they need your leadership. Besides, I can only write so many plays about what a fool you are.”

Thor laughed softly. “You are Loki.”

Loki grinned, one of his bright sparkling grins. “The one and only. And here I am to save the day, once again. My how the ballads will sing my praises.”

Thor snorted and wrapped an arm around the thin trickster. “Very well, lead the way home, brother.”

“Gladly,” Loki said, leaning against his brother. “Your sense of direction is terrible on all planes of existence.”

“I would have figured a way out eventually.”

“Of course you would have. Likely after a few centuries of walking in circles.”

They started moving through the tall grasses, Thor never releasing his hold on his brother. He smiled as he looked over at the trickster.

“When I’m well enough, we shall have to go grocery shopping again. I shudder to think what sort of empty kitchen awaits me at home.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You’re terrible at shopping, Loki.”

“Me!? You’re the one who only buys artificial food that barely qualifies as edible!”

“Pop-Tarts are delicious!”

“They’re little more than brightly colored chemicals in solid form.”

“They are the perfect way to start the day and they cause you to make the most hilarious expression. Yes, similar to that one.”

“That’s it. I’m leaving you here.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh watch me,” Loki replied before disappearing in a flash of light. Thor’s eye widened and he spun around, looking frantically for his brother. Everywhere he looked was grass, just empty fields. _He’s playing a trick. That’s all,_ Thor thought, though nervousness started to settle into the pit of his stomach.

Suddenly, he felt two strong hands shove him roughly…

_*_

Thor inhaled deeply as his eye snapped open and he was greeted with the sight of the clean ceiling of the hospital. Looking around, he soon spotted Loki, resting his chin on the back of his hands, smirking at him like the cat who caught the canary.

“You’re the worst, brother,” Thor teased him and Loki’s eyes sparkled with mischief. He grinned as he pulled himself up beside his brother. Thor wrapped his arms around him, smiling and feeling content.

“I suppose asking you to never scare me like that again is rather futile at this point,” he mentioned and Loki shrugged as he curled up closer to his brother.

“Stranger things have happened,” he replied with a smirk. Thor yawned, his eyelid already drooping. It was odd to feel so tired after just having woken up. He felt Loki’s cool palm rest briefly on his brow.

“You don’t feel quite as warm anymore,” Loki told him, resting his head on Thor’s shoulder. “Bruce says it will be some time before you feel like your old self again, even after the fever breaks.”

Thor closed his eye and nodded. “Tis to be expected. Thank you, brother.”

Loki turned his head a little. “For what?”

“For being here,” Thor answered, holding Loki a little tighter. The trickster folded his arms closer to his body and closed his eyes, a small grin playing across his lips.

_*_

Thor’s fever finally broke in the middle of the night. Banner did an exam the next morning and was pleased with the improvements he saw. Thor’s temperature was still high, but it was no longer dangerously high nor was it climbing anymore. He was lucid again and no longer had difficulty differentiating the present from the past.

The day before the healers returned from the medical conference, Thor and Loki were enjoying a quiet afternoon. They were sitting at the table, the gems from Frigga’s box spread out on the surface. The god of thunder had grown weary of lying in bed and Banner had given him the okay to sit in a chair for a short time each day.

“I still do not understand how you can decipher the healing gems from the regular ones with such ease. You barely even glance at them,” Thor mentioned as he watched Loki sort through the crystals. The trickster shrugged.

“It’s just something I’ve always been able to do,” Loki replied, glancing up when Brunnhilde and Sif entered the room.

“Our sources throughout the town tell us that we’ve successfully purged New Asgard of all Earth First operatives,” the Valkyrie reported, raising an eyebrow when she saw the rocks spread across the table. “You two having fun?”

“My brother is preparing to teach Lady Wanda how to play the game Mother taught him,” Thor explained, leaning back in his seat.

“I’m also taking stock of how many healing crystals were in the box,” Loki added, his brows knitting together. “I’m hoping to figure out some way to recreate a few of them. It seems worthwhile to have at least some healing crystals on hand.”

“You missed one,” Sif mentioned, pointing to a dull stone. Loki opened his mouth to disagree but closed it, reaching over to where she was pointing and plucking the small stone out of the pile.

“I was just about to grab that,” Loki grumbled. The Valkyrie snorted and Thor grinned, shaking his head. Sif raised an eyebrow and turned her eyes to Thor.

“How are you feeling, my friend?” she asked.

“Much better,” Thor told her with a friendly smile. “Thank you, Sif. I trust things haven’t been overly busy in my absence.”

“You are certainly missed, but Heimdall and I have things under control. Everything shall be in order when you and Loki return,” she told him.

“Good. Thank you, Sif,” Thor said gratefully. She gave him a half-smile and nod in appreciation.

“I should return to the town hall,” she told them. “It is good to see you feeling better, Thor.”

She bowed her head to both of them and then turned, striding out of the room and going on her way. Thor turned to watch her go and then looked back to his brother. Brunnhilde pulled over a chair and sat between the two brothers.

“We’re lucky to have Sif around,” Thor mentioned. Loki made a noncommittal noise in response and Brunnhilde grinned, stretching her arms over her head.

“You should grant her some vacation time,” the Valkyrie mentioned. “When Agent Hill was here taking statements about the Hydra mess, I couldn’t help but notice Lady Sif and she speaking at length.”

Thor’s eyebrows rose as he looked over at Brunnhilde, who grinned wickedly. “Really? Do you think…?”

Brunnhilde shrugged and Thor looked over at his brother, who was counting the crystals in front of him.

“Romantic pursuits do not interest me nor do I care,” Loki muttered before Thor could say anything. “Romance in and of itself is rather uninteresting. I do not understand the appeal.”

The Valkyrie snorted and Thor chuckled, shaking his head. The trickster sighed and looked up, rattling some crystals in his hand.

“I wish there had been a few more healing crystals,” Loki stated as he placed the ones he held back in the box with the other stones.

“Why don’t we ask Eir when she returns?” Thor suggested, smiling gently. “She is descended from a long line of healers and I know she managed to bring a few heirlooms with her when we escaped Asgard. I think it very likely she has a number of healing crystals in her possession.”

Loki stared at his brother, impressed. “That is a rather good idea.”

“I have been known to have them from time to time,” Thor replied dryly and Loki snickered. The Valkyrie grinned as she stood from her seat.

“Well, I’m going to do another perimeter check. I shall be back tonight and we can have dinner. Banner gave me the okay to bring you some real food.”

“If it’s not too much trouble, Brunnhilde, would you mind inviting Wanda to join us?” Thor requested. “I should like to see her and thank her for her help fighting off the Earth First operatives.”

“Consider it done,” Brunnhilde agreed, turning to leave. “Behave, you two.”

She was answered with two half-interested grunts and the Valkyrie shook her head, laughing.

Thor watched as Loki carefully scooped up the stones and gems on the table, placing them back in the beautiful box. The trickster closed the lid and sat back, his eyes remaining on the fancy object. Thor reached over and ran his fingers over the gold lines woven over the top. There was a silver flower in the center, one of Frigga’s favorite Asgardian blossoms.

“I’m glad you managed to bring this to Midgard,” Thor mentioned. “I didn’t have a chance to even think about grabbing any of Mother or Father’s belongings.”

Loki shrugged. “You had other things on your mind.”

Thor sat back, studying his brother. “Did you take anything else?”

The trickster knitted his brows and interlaced his fingers together. “A few things. I managed to stow away some of Odin’s books, which are in a box.”

Loki paused and cleared his throat. “I took some of Mother’s books too. I also took most of her weapons from her youth.”

“The ones she trained you with?”

Loki nodded. “Obviously I retrieved the box. And her sewing and cross-stitch supplies, I took those as well.”

Thor grinned. “I remember her trying to teach you to cross-stitch. You were rather adept at sewing, but cross-stitch seemed to bring out your stubborn streak.”

The trickster laughed softly, an almost melancholy sound. “Well, I could see the point of mending clothing. It was a useful skill to have. Cross-stitching was more difficult for me to understand the purpose of. It was something that could be more easily and effectively achieved with magic.”

“Perhaps it helps clear the mind,” Thor suggested. “Sometimes it helps to do something with your hands.”

“Perhaps,” Loki said with a slow nod, turning his gaze out the window. Thor studied him. Loki had come to terms with his grief long ago, but he still sometimes experienced a brief spell of melancholy. They both did. Such was the nature of grief.

“Loki?” Thor waited until his brother looked back to him. “You could not have gathered all those things when I sent you back into the palace during the fight with Hela.”

Loki shook his head. “No, I only grabbed the…I only grabbed one thing during that battle. The things I stowed away I had gathered during my time posing as Odin and hid them in small pockets of reality.”

Thor studied his brother for a moment, sadness creeping over him. “You were preparing to run, weren’t you?”

“Of course,” Loki replied with a half-grin. “I knew the titan would come for me eventually or you would figure out my ruse. Eventually, I would have to flee. I wanted to take some memories of better times.”

Thor frowned. “You did not take anything of mine.”

The trickster shrugged. “Perhaps I figured you would find me eventually. You and mother were the only ones who were always able to find me. I didn’t need to take anything of yours because I still had you.”

Thor smiled faintly, once again feeling grateful that his brother was with him. Loki glanced at him and rolled his eyes, muttering something about sentiment under his breath.

Feeling tiredness creep up on him, Thor carefully rose from his chair. He moved over to the bed and stretched out on it. Even the short distance had left him slightly lightheaded. The god of thunder knew he had a long recovery ahead of him, but it didn’t concern him. He was patient and determined.

Thor glanced to the side when Loki approached. Without saying anything, Thor scooted over a little, making room for his brother on the side of the bed nearest the window, the trickster’s preferred spot. Loki sat beside him in the bed, nestling down on the pillow and closing his eyes.

“I learned how to cross-stitch in Wakanda, while I was recovering,” Thor mentioned. “I was having trouble regaining sensation in my hands, so the healers decided to teach me a skill requiring dexterity, hoping it would help with my recovery. Queen Ramonda was kind enough to provide me with cross stitching supplies. There was little else I was able to do and it was nice to have something to occupy my mind. I became rather good at it. I even taught Steve and Bucky how to cross-stitch.”

Loki grinned, amusement dancing across his expression. “You’re full of surprises, brother.”

Thor smiled softly. “If you like, I could teach you. I’m not as good as mother was, but I think you could be. I can show you the basics and you can take it from there.”

“Mmm,” the trickster replied, already sounding half asleep. Thor gently pressed his lips to Loki’s brow and then rested his chin on his brother’s head, holding the trickster close. For a moment, he just enjoyed the serenity in the room.

“Of course, you have to give me your word you won’t stab me,” Thor added. A smile curled up the edges of Loki’s mouth.

“I make no promises,” the trickster replied and Thor chuckled. He could feel sleep creeping up on him and allowed his eye to close.

After a moment, Loki opened his eyes and looked up to his sleeping brother.

“Thank you, Thor,” the trickster whispered, too soft for his brother to hear. He shifted around a little until he found a comfortable position and then closed his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

**_The End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've reached the end at last :'(
> 
> There is always something so bittersweet about the final chapters. There's a nice sense of closure, but at the same time, I really miss reading reactions.
> 
> I am in the process of finishing up a one-shot, which will probably be posted this week or next. I still have to outline an idea I had for another multi-chap fic, but I'm not sure when I'll get the chance to do that (hopefully soon, though January is pretty booked solid).
> 
> Thank you, dear readers, for the kudos and the wonderfully entertaining comments. I treasure each and every one I get. You lot are so kind and amazing. Thank you for always making my day <3 <3 <3 <3
> 
> I always respond to comments, so please continue leaving them.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are welcomed and appreciated. I love chatting with you lot :-D
> 
> Thank you, everybody <3


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